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I spent a LONG time making a card for my Secret Sister today. It had several layers and was a little weighty, so I planned on taking it to be weighed before I put postage on it to mail. So today I took it to the post office to mail. Well, the first thing I did when I walked in was to put my outgoing mail in the mailbox - only when I let go, I accidently let go of the card too! I told the postal worker I had accidently put something in to mail and it didn't have any postage on it. She said it would just be put back into my mailbox. The only problem is that I didn't put my address on the envelope because I didn't want my SS to know who I am! So I asked the worker if she could get the envelope for me because I was the last person to put anything in the box and it would be on top. I was told no, it was just tough! So I spent all that time making the most beautiful card only for it to sit in the post office never-never land not going to my SS or coming back to me, just sitting in the bin until it gets tossed in the garbage or whatever they do with the mail that disappears. :(
__________________ Jess Don't tell God how big the storm is, tell the storm how big your God is!
How terrible Jessica! I'm sorry that the postal worker wouldn't hand you the card! Maybe it's against company policy. Have you tried talking to the "highest level" person at the post office? Maybe he/she could help you.
I would call and talk to a manager or supervisor. That's ridiculous!! Sounds like you got a grumpy worker. At the very least it should go into some sort of unclaimed/insufficient postage box or something so maybe if you could retreive it right then, you could in a day or so. I can't believe they wouldn't get it out for you though. Don't give up so easily........call them!!
I would bet it has something to do with the rules. There's no way to prove you put the envelope in the bin.
Hopefully, they'll mail it, and your SS will pay the postage... of course, now she might know who you are Hope it's me (are you from the midwest?), the card sounds really cool!
That really sucks!! I'd definately see if it is kept in a pile of insufficient postage. But you really should phone the post office and see if there is a way to get it back. Good Luck!!
NO WAY! I would totally call up there right now and talk to the postmaster! If he or she is not there ask to talk to the manager and tell them what happened --- you should be able to give them the address you put on the front so they can identify it and they SHOULD be able to help you....
I am serious I would call! I had a pkg that had a wrong address on it and I was not sure if my return address was on there or not and the postmaster checked on it for me and found the pkg and returned it!
GOOD LUCK Shelley
__________________
Shelley
The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.
That really does sound like something I would do! If there are rules against pulling it out of the mail - gosh - don't you think they could at least stick a stamp on it for you? - At least explain why they can't! What a bummer!
I had the stamps in my hand, but she wouldn't even take the time to walk over to the bin and put the stamps on the card for me. She said she was too busy. (There were only two other people in the post office and she was not the only employee working.)
The post office is closed for today, but I am going back tomorrow to see if anything can be done.
__________________ Jess Don't tell God how big the storm is, tell the storm how big your God is!
Good grief what a grumpy person!! I would contact the manager or ask to talk to someone else about it. I know they probably have rules and stuff, but what if you had accidently dropped your keys or someother item in the bin....wouldn't they get that for you? I'll have to talk to my FIL, postal worker, about this one!
If it has the send to address on it but no return address on it, it just might get delivered with a postage request on it. I would check with the local postmaster.
Are you sending it to someone who is not in a big town? Maybe you can contact the post office there (talk to the main supervisor) and explain the situation. Then when the card comes through, maybe they can weigh it, call you, and you can pay with your credit/debit card. BUMMER!
I would definitely call tomorrow. I could understand if you said you wanted it back, especially without your return address on it. You can identify the envelope, tell them who it is addressed to. All you are asking them to do is put postage on it and mail it out. I think it all boils down to a disgruntled postal worker who is too lazy.
__________________ The only thing better than a good friend is a good friend with a bag of M&Ms.
How terrible. Sometimes I just HATE the post office. There is a really disrespectful lady that works at my local PO and I just hate it when I stand in line and get her. I try to go to the post office by my office so I can avoid her all together.
There should be a supervisor that you should talk to tomorrow.
As long as the card doesn't get lost before then...
speaking with some experiance with dealing with government workers [specificly the DMV] speak to the postal worker with a pleasant attitude! It makes all the diffrance. Good Luck esp. if it's for me,, hehehehehe
__________________ Dawn
member #1989
if you don't talk to your cat about catnip who will?
I would have asked for a manager! That would have made me so mad too! And I don't get mad easily at all! You poor thing! I am so sorry they were like that!
Susan
__________________ Susan Mom of Alexis-13, Jeremy-10, Bailey-8, and TJ (born 8-27-06)
It is against the law and she would have been fired if she had handed you this out of that box if they found out. She was just doing her job according to protocol. The reason for this rule is to protect us, the consumer.
It is against the law and she would have been fired if she had handed you this out of that box if they found out. She was just doing her job according to protocol. The reason for this rule is to protect us, the consumer.
Yes, I could understand it if she had asked to get the envelope back, but she just wanted to have put postage on it. She didn't ask to get it back. She never would have had to touch the envelope.
__________________ The only thing better than a good friend is a good friend with a bag of M&Ms.
Oh no! How frustrating! I did something similar a while back with a swap. I made 5 beaded cards and was taking them to the post office. I put my son in his car seat and forgot to get the envelope off the top of the car! I never found the envelope and had to re-do those cards.
I'm suprised that I haven't done something like that by now. When we do secret pal swaps on my message board, we put the receiver's addy in the return address too. Maybe that will help the future.
This reminds me of a Laverne and Shirley or I Love Lucy episode.
They just might deliver it, with postage due. DH is a mailman, but he's not home right now for me to ask him.
__________________ US shipping only
The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.
Kindness always wins-makes you better not bitter
You can't change the wind, but you can adjust your sails
I agree that it was just a grumpy worker. Several years ago my husband and I mailed our tax papers. When we got home we noticed the check still sitting on our table. As it was April 15th we drove back to the post office to see if we could get the envelope back to put the check in it. The postal workers sent us to the back and had us look for it ourselves. We found that to be very strange. If that wasn't illegal then certainly what you were asking couldn't have been. I hope the manager can help you tomorrow.
A few years ago, I put a bunch of invitations in a mail box. It wasn't until AFTER that, that I thought to weigh them. I needed more postage on them! I called the post office and explained the situation. I was told that it's a federal crime to do anything but process the mail once it's in the possession of the PO. They then said that if I meet the worker that picks up the mail at the time specified, he MAY be nice and allow me to add postage, though he certainly would be in violation of the rules. I ran to the mail box, met the worker, and it turned out that he was wonderful! I was lucky. I'm sorry that you didn't have the same experience. I would definitely call the "dead letter office" and see if they'll help you out. Let us know!
Once you place anything the mailbox whether it has the right postage or not. "It now belongs to the post office." And since you can't prove it's your mail without opening it. Which ain't going to happen. There is nothing that be done. My daddy use to be a postal worker. long aga. and this was the rule then as it is now.
Who know that may think you are trying to steal something from mail like money or credit cards.
They were doing their job.....But they could have place the stamp on the card for you. So they were out of line on that part!...
I was told no, it was just tough! So I spent all that time making the most beautiful card only for it to sit in the post office never-never land not going to my SS or coming back to me, just sitting in the bin until it gets tossed in the garbage or whatever they do with the mail that disappears. :(
No, it will go on to her postage due -- not what you would like, but better than all that creative time wasted. Mail with no postage is supposed to be returned. BUT to avoid a "dead letter" in this situation, the postal service does send it on and charge the other end. Should she refuse it, then it will be sent to the Mail Recovery Center and opened to see if something inside will help return it. If not, simple correspondence is destroyed.
Yes, without the return address we are not supposed to hand them back. I realize this is not your situation but what if another "customer" watched you put a gift card in the envelope and was trying to steal it.
The thought occurred to me but obviously not to you or the other worker, if it just needed postage it could have been retrieved but not given back. You could have been allowed the opportunity to put stamps on it with the employee maintaining possession. But I know when someone (the worker in this case) responds negatively than the way a person hoped, it kind of shuts down the mental process. The rules get repeated not thinking about how to solve the problem. You didn't really want it back, you wanted to get the postage on it.
I agree that it was just a grumpy worker. Several years ago my husband and I mailed our tax papers. When we got home we noticed the check still sitting on our table. As it was April 15th we drove back to the post office to see if we could get the envelope back to put the check in it. The postal workers sent us to the back and had us look for it ourselves. We found that to be very strange. If that wasn't illegal then certainly what you were asking couldn't have been. I hope the manager can help you tomorrow.
WOW! That was exmtremely illegal. Did they maybe know you?
Last week someone left their $2000 check on our writing counter and another customer turned it in to us. It was made out to the IRS. She forgot to stick it in the envelope. We called the number on the check. She came and got it the next day with copies of her return to send it again.
No they didn't know us. But as I said it was April 15th. The whole place was crazy and I think they just really wanted to help everyone, but didn't have time to do what we needed. Strange though!
Was your escapade before 9/11? They might be more strict now.....
If there's no return address and no postage, they might open it there to try to find info to return it. I had that happen with a Current order a few years back. They found my info inside, put it all in an envelope and sent it back to me.
Not sure if they'll try to send it "postage due" but will be curious to find out!
__________________ Kathy Wrose "Fun must be always." - Tomas Hertl, San Jose Sharks "It was fun." - Kirk, Star Trek: Generations
It would ruin the surprise, but I would email your secret sister and tell her what happened. That way she could accept the card, pay the postage due and enjoy all of your hard work. You could reimburse her the postage after the fact. If you took the time to contact her with these worries, I know if I were her I would definitely know you were good for it.
Kathy- Yes it was before 9/11 that is probably why!
Also- I think Monica said to contact your SS and let her know what happened. You could also do this through someone else so you wouldn't have to reveal yourself.
I also think it will go on to the addressee with postage due...since it is first class mail. However, you may have let the cat out of the bag with your discussion thread if your SS receives this card!!
Have faith that it will get there and that she does not read this discussion this weekend!
I know this isn't going to make you feel any better but the times I've forgotten to put postage on a letter they didn't forward it postage due...they returned it to me. Since you don't have a return address it may just go into the dead letter bin. I would definitely call the PO though and see if they can do anything.
I'm so MAD
