Not that kind of package

The modern world is shaped, in theory anyway, to avoid all inconvenience. That may be the design, but it's not the practice. I will use the Wal Mart of online stores, Amazon.com, as an example. Last week I ordered three items. May I have ordered the third item to get the free shipping? Sure. I can't see that free shipping is any kind of a win for Amazon. Because of that, one would assume that if you order three items that Amazon would wait until all three items are in stock to ship. That's not how they roll. My first item shipped. I assumed that meant that items two and three were on back order or something. Nope; item two shipped the same day (yes, really) and item number three shipped the following day. This would be like me going to Target, shopping, driving home and unloading, then repeating the same process with Kroger and Publix even though the stores are all close to each other.

Items one and two arrived a day apart. Item three seemed to be lost. Amazon sent me an e-mail stating that no one was home to sign for the item when it arrived via USPS. I've never had to sign for an Amazon purchase. What the Hades is going on here? The e-mail was vague. It only said that my item was at the nearest Post Office.

I went to the Post Office home page. There were four offices in close proximity to my home. The closest one was a mile away. The downside was that their hours are 9 to 5 Monday through Friday. How convenient. I had a window this afternoon and took it. I went to the PO and stood in line, like I always do. After waiting ten minutes the lady told me that this post office didn't receive any mail. I had to go to another office five miles down the road. I went. I waited. People snuck in and out of line with no regard for the rest of us. It was hellafun. When I got to the front and explained my situation the guy looked at me like I asked for a certified letter when I clearly only needed second day air. I pretend that I picked up some of the lingo during my extensive time in Post Offices today. He had nothing for me. I was supposed to get something tangible in the mail telling me that my item was there, and I did not have that. I left frustrated at the world.

When I got home, the package was on my doorstep. Amazon.com may not be efficient, but they get the job done.