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Going Postal - A True Holiday Story

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P

PrinceofWands

Lifer
Why don't I like going out in public over the holidays you ask?

So I take my package for my daughter to the post office to ship it out. Since it's just a few minutes after open I'm 2nd in line. I go up to the second window and do my business. The total comes to just under $30, which is about what I'd figured. I pull out a $50 (smallest bill I have at the time) and hand it over. The guy looks at it and says "I can't break this...we just opened and I don't have enough in the till yet."

"Oh, yeah, sorry...I didn't think about it being so early for you guys." I take the money back and double check my wallet to see if I have any smaller bills hidden. I don't. "Sorry, that's the smallest I have," I say apologetically, "what's the nearest bank to here and I'll go get it changed."

"We take all credit and debit cards sir." he says.

"Yeah, I don't use plastic, or even banks." I'm about to apologize again and run for change when the worker suddenly nearly screams at me - "YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE! YOU'VE ALREADY STARTED IN THE SYSTEM!"

"EXCUSE ME?!" I scream back at him, "We're DONE now, go get your supervisor IMMEDIATELY, or you might as well just call the cops now and save time!" With everyone gawking in stunned silence the postal worker (living up to their unofficial moniker) grabs the counter as if to come over it at me. I back up and get in a defensive stance, instinctively dropping my wrap to allow access to my gun just in case, which isn't even there since I can't bring it into the post office. Of course, my empty holster is now visible to all the rest of the people in line, who now freak out. At this point the other worker at the counter has snapped the guy out of his rage somehow and he storms off into the back.

As I stand there utterly flabbergasted they bring out change for a $50 from the back and quickly process my package. I tell the guy I'll take insurance on it since I'm afraid for the treatment of the package now, which he adds without comment. As I head out to my car, past the frightened public who is now looking at ME like I'm the devil when I was the victim of the whole affair, I see the angry worker slamming out of the back of the post office. Needless to say I quickly rearmed myself and drove cautiously home, watching for a maniac following me.

Now that I've thought it over a bit, I'm actually more shocked and angry than I was at the time it happened. I understand businesses getting frustrated with changing big bills. All the shit runs downhill unto the poor front line workers. They're told to treat the customers right and then yelled at when it inconveniences the business. The company tells them not to keep money in the till in case they're robbed, and then yells at them when the customers complain that they can't break bills. Then they have to run to the bank, increasing robbery and injury risk, just to get enough change to keep working. It's a no win scenario.

HOWEVER that only applies when you're talking about people giving a $100 for a $6 item or something similar. I don't give a flying fuck and two squirrel nuts if you want cash in your till or not, if you can't give $20 change then you have no right to have your doors open. Period. Not at current prices for goods and services. What's more, that sure as hell doesn't apply to a FEDERAL service. Now I'm sorry, but EVERY bill in circulation has 'Legal US Tender' written on it, and you're providing a tax funded service...that means you don't get a vote even if someone pays a $1 charge with a $1000 bill. Not saying that's the 'legal stance', but it's definitely the only rational one.

Finally, as a government employee you sure as shit don't get to tell a citizen that they are somehow defective for not participating in the ruination of the world through the unconscionable consumerist hysteria which is plastic (be it credit or debit). Sorry you ignorant son of a bitch, but I'm one of the few human beings on the planet NOT fucking everything up for everyone else so you can kindly take your worthless, selfish opinion and shove it up your ass. While you're at it, you can stop collecting a government paycheck and benefits because I sure as hell am not going to subsidize your attitude.

I'm home now, and staying home until after the new year. Honestly I'm not sure I want to come out even then. Wizard's first rule is just too real to deal with any more.

Well, this thread turned into a mess. -Admin DrPizza

 
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Maybe it's the youth in my talking, but how do you not have a CC/VISA/MC... not only would this situation be avoided, but you'd be welcomed into the 20th century!

EDIT : nvm, you are the type that says "unconscionable consumerist hysteria which is plastic (be it credit or debit)"
 
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ViviTheMage said:
Maybe it's the youth in my talking, but how do you not have a CC/VISA/MC... not only would this situation be avoided, but you'd be welcomed into the 20th century!
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I have had both credit and debit cards in the past. The more I researched the situation the more I realized they're just BAD ideas in general. Together with a few other reasons about the same time I closed all my accounts and haven't looked back. Been years since I even had a bank account, never mind plastic, and I never will again. Just not necessary, and contributes to serious negative economic factors.
 
PrinceofWands said:
I have had both credit and debit cards in the past. The more I researched the situation the more I realized they're just BAD ideas in general. Together with a few other reasons about the same time I closed all my accounts and haven't looked back. Been years since I even had a bank account, never mind plastic, and I never will again.
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We shall see.
 
PrinceofWands said:
I have had both credit and debit cards in the past. The more I researched the situation the more I realized they're just BAD ideas in general. Together with a few other reasons about the same time I closed all my accounts and haven't looked back. Been years since I even had a bank account, never mind plastic, and I never will again. Just not necessary, and contributes to serious negative economic factors.
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It's not too hard to have credit cards, you just need self control, and the ability to track your finances, I fail to see why they are just a "unconscionable consumerist hysteria".
 
I can't help but feel there is more to the story. That escalated from I don't have a credit card to reaching for your gun a tad quickly
 
ViviTheMage said:
It's not too hard to have credit cards, you just need self control, and the ability to track your finances, I fail to see why they are just a "unconscionable consumerist hysteria".
Click to expand...

They increase costs, just by their existence. Takes money to print them, do the paperwork, recordkeeping, advertising, etc. Many carry annual fees and such to offset, but bottom line is they're just a bad idea.
 
stargazr said:
wtf......really, you actually thought your life was in danger?
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Could easily have been so if he'd come with any kind of weapon. In the middle of a wrestling match is no time to try and untie a knot in a coat to allow access to your weapon. I don't draw unless the threat is imminent, but I do go defensive and make rapid reaction possible.
 
PrinceofWands said:
They increase costs, just by their existence. Takes money to print them, do the paperwork, recordkeeping, advertising, etc. Many carry annual fees and such to offset, but bottom line is they're just a bad idea.
Click to expand...

A lot of credit cards do not carry annual fees. All of that 'work' is not done by you, I still don't see why you would be afraid of them.
 
Exterous said:
I can't help but feel there is more to the story. That escalated from I don't have a credit card to reaching for your gun a tad quickly
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Didn't reach for it, just dropped my coat that was tied around my waist covering it. It's how I usually carry so I practice removing it quickly when I go on guard.
 
stargazr said:
wtf......really, you actually thought your life was in danger?
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you have a idiot jumping over the counter at you? yeah. but agree at that point pulling hte gun would have been wrong. take a step back and be ready.


Only issue i have is him yelling back. he should have kept his cool and he lost it
 
PrinceofWands said:
Finally, as a government employee you sure as shit don't get to tell a citizen that they are somehow defective for not participating in the ruination of the world through the unconscionable consumerist hysteria which is plastic (be it credit or debit).
Click to expand...

:hmm:

Wow, you sure proved him wrong there buddy!

🙄
 
You sound like just the sort of person I want to be armed with a deadly weapon at all times. "A teller was rude to me so I screamed at him, then, when things invariably escalated, I went for my gun." Clearly, that's a rational response to not getting adequate help at the post office.
 
waggy said:
you have a idiot jumping over the counter at you? yeah. but agree at that point pulling hte gun would have been wrong. take a step back and be ready.


Only issue i have is him yelling back. he should have kept his cool and he lost it
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Definitely true. Somehow his words took me by surprise and I instantly knew I wasn't going to deal with the guy any more. I should have done it calm, but I didn't.
 
Atomic Playboy said:
You sound like just the sort of person I want to be armed with a deadly weapon at all times. "A teller was rude to me so I screamed at him, then, when things invariably escalated, I went for my gun." Clearly, that's a rational response to not getting adequate help at the post office.
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Lack of reading comprehension FTL!
 
Non-electronic currency? Fascinating.
It's all imaginary value anyway. The piece of paper with numbers on it is valuable because society and the government says so, just as is the case with a number stored on a bank's computer system.
How to avoid spending too much money: Do you need it? No? Don't buy it.
Do you want it? Yes. Can you afford it? No? Don't buy it.



But geez, what's with that guy? Did he get some bad coke to start out his day, or what?


But how do they not even have $20 in the till? (Or did the cashier severely miscalculate?) When I was about 15, I worked at a small-town gift shop as a weekend job, and I think I started the day with at least the ability to break a $50 bill, if not $100. (The credit card "machine" was one of the carbon-copy impression gadgets. Real high-tech place. 😀)
If tourists show up and want to spend money on trinkets, candy, or more expensive souvenir models, it was in our interest to be able to take their money without a hassle. (And the nearest bank with an ATM would have been....oh probably a few miles away over rural roads.)

But that was also a private business, not a government operation.
 
PrinceofWands said:
And your live video refutation is where again?
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the fact that i've worked retail before and know how cash register drawers are prepared and will definitely have at least $20 worth of change, and if they don't, they can get change from elsewhere in the store ... that is enough proof i need to know your story is bullshit.
 
purbeast0 said:
the fact that i've worked retail before and know how cash register drawers are prepared and will definitely have at least $20 worth of change, and if they don't, they can get change from elsewhere in the store ... that is enough proof i need to know your story is bullshit.
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If anything you're supporting the point of my story. The fact that they were able to break it without question after his explosion proves that there was no reason for him to lose it like that...especially with someone who was apologetic and offered to go get change themselves.

Rather it's being a postal worker that makes people insane and hair triggered, or just the holidays, the situation was crap. Hence my post on the subject.
 
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