United States Postal Service

Those of you who may have read my past few written entries might have some sense of the daunting circumstances I face with my ailing mom. After trying to evaluate the situation in a rational way I had to do things in a certain order. Her financial situation was the most dire and obviously required immediate attention. The very first thing I did; after I spoke with the attorney and the social worker, was to go to the post office to stop the mail delivery to her house. I explained my circumstance to a clerk named Ryan; of course, I had my power-of-attorney paperwork in my hand.

I was redirecting both my mail and my mom's mail to post office box at the Main local post office. Ryan nicely told me what I needed to do and provided me the forms. I got back in line went back to him with the completed forms and a check for the rental of the PO box. I asked him about the POA. He said, 'It's good you have it; but you don't need to show it to me. That's for your protection if there was ever any allegation of fraud on your part.' I thought it 'odd' that he didn't want a copy of it but figured, 'he's the 'man;' ya know?

After changing her mailing address I had to set about closing her bank account and rolling it over into one that I could handle on her behalf. I did so; the bank would be mailing the new checks. I was off all week and kept an eye on things. I watched as three days after the mail was stopped they continued to deliver the mail. I asked the one carrier, 'What do I have to do to get you people to stop delivering the mail to that house?' He told me he was not the regular carrier; they had talked about it and both were confused. I told him it was to go to the PO Box; could he please pass it along.

The following day the mail was again delivered through the mail slot onto mom's foyer floor. I chased down the regular carrier and said, 'Ma'am, what do I have to do to stop delivery to this house?' She told me I had to go down to the office with my POA to stop it. I told her I had done that almost two weeks ago; she said, 'Sorry, you'll have to talk to the office.'

I immediately drove to the post office. I spoke with a different gentleman; again with my POA papers in my hand. I told him what was going on and asked him, 'What do I need to do to stop delivery to this house?' He walked away with my POA papers, came back some minutes later and told me it would now be okay.

I noticed Friday they had delivered the new checks, ugh. She had written two of them. I had no idea for how much; I knew mom didn't, either. I snagged them right away. I went to work yesterday so was unavailable at the time of mail delivery; I found her this morning going through more 'charitable' solicitations. I snagged them up right away, and hugged her as I left for work. I wanted to get to work early as I was going to be on the phone; with the postal service. I really don't have much of a temper; my blood was boiling.

I got to work with twenty minutes to devote to this until it was time to punch-in. It was no great surprise when the first number listed was a recording directing me to another. That number rang endlessly. I finally got a number where someone answered at the Main Post office on Harrisburg Pike here in Lancaster, PA. I asked immediately to speak to the Postmaster. She advised me he was on vacation. I curtly explained the situation to her; I had been to the office TWICE with my POA paperwork yet they continued to deliver mail to my mom's house. I told her I want to talk to someone NOW.

She directed me to some poor woman at the 'Carrier Annex.' It is much easier to 'go-off' on someone over the phone than in person. I 'went-off' on her. 'WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO STOP MAIL DELIVERY TO MY MOM'S HOUSE?' She checked on her system and told me for some reason my mom's change of address had been 'deleted.' She told me that I was going to have to go to the post office; fill out a new change of address card and, once again, present my POA paperwork. I explained to her my exasperation as I had already been there and done that TWICE! She understood and apologized. She told me she would put the change of address cards in the PO Box I had rented weeks earlier; to fill them out return them to her and it would be taken care of.

On my way over to mom's tonight I stopped in at the post office to retrieve the new change-of-address cards and follow the instructions. When I entered I noticed the service windows were open; I thought they would be closed. I got the forms and went out to my car where I had a pen. I would fill out the cards and take care of it right then and there.

I re-entered the post office and took my place in the queue. After a brief wait whose window opened up? None other than Ryan's. Ugh. I approached the window and asked him if I could talk to a supervisor. He told me no, as none were available that late in the evening; it was 5:30PM. I told him that despite two previous visits the mail was still being delivered to my mom's home. He remembered me from my first visit when I rented the PO Box.

I told him I was told on the phone with a woman at the 'Carrier Annex' that morning; that I was to fill out the change-of-address cards and present copy of the POA there to get it taken care of; once-and-for-all. He told me he would take the change of address cards from me; and again told me he didn't need to see the POA papers, as it wasn't their 'policy or procedure now.' This is when I began making my scene.

I said, 'You people need to get your act together! I was told on the phone this morning to come back in here for the THIRD time with my POA papers and fill out change-of-address cards for the SECOND TIME. WOULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO DO TO STOP THE DELIVERY OF MAIL TO MY MOM'S HOME. SHE IS NOT COMPETENT TO HANDLE IT!' I am sure I gave the people waiting in line something to talk about that evening.

The guy looked at me and said, 'I am telling you I do not need to see the POA paperwork. That is only for your protection if any fraud is alleged against you for the change-of-address, you know, like if you got caught changing it without someone's knowledge.' He obviously didn't want to be bothered with dealing with the papers. He asked who I had talked to in the morning. I didn't know; the envelope was still in the car. He was refusing to take the POA papers from me and I asked him his last name. He snapped, 'That's none of your business.' I think after my THIRD trip to the post office to take care of something simple it most definitely was MY BUSINESS. He continued, 'I'm the only Ryan here; they'll know who you are talking about.'

I said, 'Look, will you please make copies of the POA paperwork and attach it to my mom's change-of address card and I also want a receipt showing I provided you with a copy of the POA. He complied with those requests. I told him I hoped he could understand my frustration. I went out to my car and got the envelope the woman I spoke with on the phone had provided; she had addressed it to herself, went back in and handed it to him. There is a lot on my plate now trying to straighten out my mom's affairs. I don't need to be running to the post office every week to attempt to stench the flow of her resources, ya know?

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I was in an older couple's home since then to solve a TV problem they were having. I was sorry to inform them the trouble was inside their TV set. They understood but resisted my suggestions to resolve the problem. They said, 'too complicated.' We started talking about technology and the older gentleman said, 'well look, this Internet is going to put the Post Office out of business.' I looked at him, smiled, and said, 'It can't happen quickly enough for me.' They were puzzled.

I explained.
They understood.