Going Postal

Dear US Post Master,
While I understand that you are busy sorting through all those credit card offers and sweepstakes entries, I have a situation that I would like to bring to your attention.

Back in December of Ought-Seven, I went online to the Department of Motor Vehicles for the good state of MN and purchased my license tabs. My husband assured me that when he did this, he received his tabs in a week. I had plenty of time to get them and put them on my car by my January 31st deadline.

I must admit, it slipped off my radar screen after that. Until January 20th or so. It was then that I began the slow motion freak out that can only occur when two such monoliths as the DMV and the US Post Office collide.

I was suffering from PHSD (Post Holiday Stress Disorder) and was convinced that a trip to my local DMV office would be tantamount to getting a root canal and a pap smear all at the same time. I searched online for a human to talk to, I sent emails to the black hole that is the DMV website, and I got increasingly alarmed as no one got back with me.

Finally, I steeled myself, walked into the DMV, looked around at the immense crowd of two people in front of me, and relaxed. I got up to the counter, the clerk was funny and pleasant, she looked me up online and told me that the tabs had been shipped but she would issue a replacement, and I was out the door in five minutes. Problem solved.

Until yesterday. Yesterday being April 8th, 2008. Yesterday being the day that I finally received my tabs in the mail.

Postmarked December 31, 2007.

All the way from the cities.

Now, recently I listened to a report on NPR regarding a "Do Not Mail" list for junk mail that the post office is fighting tooth and nail. Why? Because, they say, if people stopped getting junk mail, THE POST OFFICE WOULD GO OUT OF BUSINESS.

In an age of dawning realization regarding global warming and paper waste, this argument pretty much pushes me right to the edge. My letter arriving three months late? Yeah, I just took that last big step.

Some businesses deserve to go out of business.

Sincerely,

A Dissatisfied Customer