Oh. My. Gosh! I found myself in Poquoson this morning running an errand unrelated to this post. On my way out of town I noticed the Post Office and decided to stop in to mail two Halloween packages thinking it would save me time from going to my regular post office about 20 minutes away. I should've gotten a clue something was amiss when it took more than 15 minutes to help a customer in front of me mail an international package. Did I listen to that nagging little voice telling me to leave and head to my regular post office? No. Much to my chagrin later, I did not.
When it finally came my time to step to the counter the clerk weighed my largest package and measured its dimensions. She asked "Does this parcel contain anything liquid, fragile, perishable, or potentially hazardous?" I responded negatively. Then she asked how I wanted it sent. I responded, "Whichever way is cheapest." She insisted I look at the screen and tell her the NAME of the service I wanted. Okaaaaaay. I should have responded I wanted the $11.80 service but I didn't. I gave her the actual name of the service. Clearly she was trying to exert her perceived authority by insisting I name the service rather than just selecting the least costly option. It took her three attempts to enter my package into the system because the "system" kept zeroing out the amount due. She said it was saying the package was prepaid (which it wasn't). I immediately wondered if this ineptitude was why the lady with the international package was at the counter for so long. I answered the questions on the screen then she asked me to verify if the address was correct. Before I answered I mentioned the subtotal was incorrect. It showed $20.25 and I did not want the additional services outlined on my screen. She said the cost was related to the size of the package. I said it clearly showed on my screen it was due to additional services, which were outlined by line item and not because of the package size. She turned her screen around and told me to look at her screen because the charges were not there. I said I wasn't interested in paying $20.25 to ship my package. I only wanted to pay $11.80. After telling me it was illegal for her to add additional charges, she performed some sort of magic on her screen because the subtotal miraculously changed to $11.80.
When she picked up my second package I told her it contained candy. She snapped, "Why would you tell me that?" I responded because she had inquired, with the first package, if it contained "...anything liquid, fragile, perishable, or potentially hazardous..." and I assumed she'd need the same information for the second package. She proceeded to infer I had some sort of mental deficiency by asking if candy would cause some sort of hazardous event on an airplane. I gave her a puzzled look because I couldn't really believe she'd actually asked such an asinine question and asked her what the question was she'd asked with the first package. She proceeded to recite the "Does this parcel contain anything liquid, fragile, perishable, or potentially hazardous?" question. When she got to the "perishable" part I said, "Perishable." Candy is perishable. She reiterated her question about whether candy could cause anything devastating to a plane and that the question was solely related to potential hazards and nothing else. Surprisingly, when asked this question at my regular post office and my response is candy a "PERISHABLE" sticker is affixed to the box. This box received no such sticker. Also, I wasn't asked which service(s) I wanted for this package. Funny how that worked out.
I feel so badly for Poquoson residents who must deal with Tanya Sinclair at this post office. She is a nightmare. I've never used this post office location before today and I will assure you I never will again. I suggest Poquoson residents take the extra time to go to the Thimble Shoals post office location in Newport News. Paul will take excellent care of you and be pleasant and helpful while doing so. read more
