Today I needed to go to the post office to mail a package. Before I had my sweet girl, I didn't mind going to the post office. Yes, I may have to wait in line, but usually it was some great people watching time, so I didn't mind. After having a child, the Post Office is a place of frustration and here's why.
- The Parking Lot. The Post Office is a place where people are constantly coming and going. This makes the parking lot, The Wild West. McAllen's is especially terrible because the parking lot is one way and only has slanted spots in one row. It's not really a lot. It's more like where you park at a Sonic Drive-In Restaurant. People are whipping in and out of the spots like race car drivers and they terribly impatient. The stroller is not an option for the Post Office because I would surely die trying to get it out of the trunk.
- The Wait. Let me explain my experience today. I walked in and there was a long line as usual. I have my purse on my shoulder, a 25+ pound toddler in my arms and I'm holding a box to ship. There is a counter that people stand next to while they wait in line. This counter explicitly says not to let children sit on top of it and my first-born, rule following self needs to make sure that I don't get in trouble. So I set the box on the counter, but Zoe, decides that she wants to push the box around or hold it. When she holds it I usually end up getting whacked in the face about 20 times. She also wanted the lady in front of us to hold the box, so she would push it toward her and say, "Thank You!" While polite, she likes to say these words very loud. The ladies in front and in back of me don't speak much English, so my child is just yelling at them in a foreign language. (I know this because I had a small exchange with both of them in the small amount of Spanish that I know from my high school days. Those conversations consisted mostly of me apologizing for the yelling.) Zoe was also trying to wiggle herself out of my arms most of the time,,and I would let her down if I didn't think she would try to bolt out the door and I would lose my spot in line or she would destroy the nice display of boxes. Thank goodness I decided to wear earrings today which served as a bit of a distraction for her.
- The Transaction. The end is in sight! The yelled words, "Next in line!", is like whispering sweet nothings to a mom in line at the Post Office. I struggle up to the counter and give the man my box. He smiles at her and now she's, flirting with him, "Hi! Hi! Hi" and "Thank You! Thank You!" He asks me how I would like to send my box and I reply, "cheap." He laughs and let Zoe entertain him while I do some kind of contortionist balancing act to hold her and get my wallet out of my purse. I pay and thank the guy who thinks it is all so cute. At least this guy thought it was cute. I appreciate his sense of humor. Some people don't like the mom-toddler circus coming to their Post Office window.
- Take some boxes and build a fort playground in the corner of the Post Office. Parents can wait in line and kids can play. Is there anything more exciting to kids than empty boxes?
- Please don't allow your employees to have a rooster text tone on their phone. My child for some reason thought it was a puppy and that really didn't help me. "Puppy! Puppy! Puppy, where are yoouuu?"
- Best Option: Build a drive-thru. I know you probably can't. No one would come in the Post Office anymore and the line would be way too long. So maybe just a drive-thru for moms? I'll let you think about it.
It really isn't that bad of an experience in the grand scheme of life, but really a drive-thru would help us all.
Here's another quick pic of my crazy and sweet baby, just because I can.
Here's another quick pic of my crazy and sweet baby, just because I can.
That's all for now. God is good.
In Evasnville (where I grew up) at least one post DOES have a drive through!!!! I wish, more than almost anything, that ours did here in town. Annabeth loves to "help" arrange all of the packing materials. I literally have three sets of things that need to be sent out sitting on my counter because I so dread going to the post.
ReplyDeleteOMG!! You read my mind Katie! Now that my lil one is almost 4 she's actually a bit helpful at the post office and loves to put letters "in the hole" as she calls it! But I remember those horrid days... hugs!
ReplyDelete-Cinella