Going to the post office during the holiday season is a nightmare even in the best of circumstances. It is significantly worse, however, when you go toting a baby and dozens of packages. This is the situation I found myself in when I went to send out “The Adventures of Annie and Rigby” DVDs to people who donated to Friends of Maddie. (Copies are still available for order, btw.)
Things started well enough – Annie drifted off to sleep the moment I put her in the stroller, I was able to balance the large box full of packages on the stroller’s handles, and the women in line told me how cute Annie was. The old lady in front of me was so taken with Annie, in fact, that she said I should cut in front of her.
I refused a few times, but she kept insisting, so finally I said thank you and stepped in front of her. It was then the second window closed leaving just one clerk to tend to all of us. From the corner of my eye I could see the old lady was not pleased.
“Next!” the lone clerk yelled. I pushed Annie’s stroller forward and placed the large box on the counter. As I opened it and pulled out my packages there were audible groans behind me.
“He has got to be joking,” the old lady complained. “And here I thought he was just mailing off that one box.”
I cringed. Skipping over the old lady with seventy packages instead of what appeared to be one was a jerk move, one I never would have made if I was thinking clearly and hadn’t been lulled into a post office induced stupor. I turned to apologize and offer the old lady my spot when the clerk affixed postage to my first few packages.
“Too late now,” I thought. “Hopefully we can get through all these packages as quickly as possible.”
It was then the clerk told me I would have to fill out an international form for EVERY. SINGLE. INTERNATIONAL. PACKAGE.
I had eleven.
Sweat sprouted on my forehead. The line now snaked out the door as I frantically raced to fill out the forms.
It was then little Miss Annie woke up and looked around, confused.
“Mama? Mama? Mama?”
Shhh,” I cooed. “It’s okay, Annie.”
MAMA?! MAMA?! MAMA?!
The clerk smirked. “She wants her mama, doesn’t she?”
The room filled with laughter. Embarrassed, I said, “Oh, she says ‘Dada’ too. (lie) She just gets confused.”
I quickly took a near meltdown Annie out of the stroller.
“It’s okay, baby,” I said as I bounced her. “Dada has you. You’re okay.”
“Mama! Mama! Mama!”
“Dada.”
“Mama!”
“Stop saying Mama.”
Annie laughed. I sighed and returned my attention to the international forms. Unfortunately, it took even longer to fill them out now that I had a squirmy baby in my arms.
“You know, young man,” the old lady began. “If I had known you were going to take this long I never would have let you cut in front of me.”
“Ma’am, I didn’t ask to cut in front of you,” I replied. “You insisted.”
“Well, aren’t you a peach,” the old lady spat. “No wonder that baby wants her mama.”
After what seemed like an eternity I finally finished just as a second window – of course – opened. On the way out I apologized profusely to everyone in line, and thankfully no one seemed too angry. This had a lot to do with the fact Annie greeted each person with an enthusiastic “Mama!”
When I got home I told Heather the whole story. She laughed and leaned down to look at Annie.
“Sounds like you missed me, huh baby?”
Annie stared long and hard at Heather and said, “Doggie.”
{ 41 comments… read them below or add one }
Just goes to show you a woman’s mind is a mystery!
Annie will always keep you guessing from what I can tell.
Oh…and sometimes old people SUCK!
That is so cute made me lol when she said doggie at the end..I would have loved the dvd for my daughter for Christmas but there was no other option then credit card (which i dont have)..Thanks for the giggle
Was the little old lady green with wild hair? Because she sure sounds like the Grinch! I’m glad you survived, LOL.
Whoo, I was nervous for you. Leave it to Annie to save the day.
That’s so funny.
Elle´s last [type] ..Thanks to my husband- I received the worst Christmas card ever
A peach? Seriously? She called you a peach? OMGosh…that’s too funny.
I hate going to the Post Office on any day during the year…but especially during the month of December, and especially especially during the week of Christmas! Ugh! People are usually tired of the wait, they are grumpy…it’s not a fun trip.
katrina´s last [type] ..These Faces and other Happy Things
In line at the grocery once my (the 3 1/2) year old picked up a kinderegg and put it in the basket without asking me. I saw it, explained that taking something without permission is the same as stealing and it’s not okay to do so.
The older woman in front of me (maybe 65ish) felt obligated to tell me toddler child that she would call the police if she saw stealing and because daughter was so young the police would arrest *me* and put *her* into foster care where no one will love her.
This was 6 months after my daughter lost everything she knew, her dad, brother, house and cat. You can imagine what I had to deal with after the fact.
I completely lost the tenuous grip on my tongue and said “Lady, I suggest that you shut the ef up. I’m not in the habit of lying to my child about consequences and for your effing information this child just lost most of our family and watched her father be arrested for his act of violence that played a part in that.”
Isn’t it fun how pissy people can be in front of kids. Usually for reasons beyond our control and that are none of their business? Kudos to you for not losing your poo like I did.
Heather´s last [type] ..extra skin as in that thing that’s only good in a bucket of fried chicken
Annie will always provide the laughs!! Glad you survived at the post office.
That is an adorable photo! You guys are amazing at baby/dog photo shoots!!
Yesterday our post office had a system where they sent an employee down the line asking each person what they wanted to do and giving us little slips. Then when we got to the front, we just handed the clerk our slip and it went pretty quickly. There were, however, about 5 clerks working at the time. Why on earth would they have only one line open the week of Christmas?!
I have soooooooo been there! Too funny!
And Saeryn does the “mama”, “doggie”, “dada” routine, too. LOL.
Okay, first off, Annie is the cutest!
Second, what is it about the post office that makes people turn into scrooges. That lady shouldn’t have insisted you take her spot if she didn’t mean it. And by the way, I hate those stupid international forms.
Lisa´s last [type] ..Happy Holidays to You and Yours
Your story was so funny, Mike, and I laughed out loud at the “Well, aren’t you a peach,” the old lady spat. “No wonder that baby wants her mama.” Just shows you how fickle we women can be. Sometimes we’re willing to give you the world, and the next minute, through some misunderstanding, we won’t give you the time of day!!LOL I have had similar situations where I’ve gotten to the counter, and had to fill out additional papers. I’ve just stepped over a few feet (out of the way)…told the postal clerk to continue calling people in the line, and when I was done filling out things, then it was my turn again. It cuts down on the anxiety of hearing the bitching people that were behind you in line!!LOL
Hilarious! You know, whenever I’ve had to fill out a form, they tell me to move over to the side, complete the forms, and step back to the counter when I’m done; that way everyone else can be served while I’m filling out the forms.
BTW, that old lady was a bitch! Jeez.
Deborah´s last [type] ..My Very Expensive Mistake
The Post Office is an awful awful place any time of the year when you want to ship anything.
You, sir, are so very brave for doing that.
to that I commend you.
to the old lady, I tell her to shove it. Like you said, she shouldn’t have insisted.
Annie & Rigby are too cute!
My husband had a nearly identical experience this weekend at our Post Office- he was glad to hear he’s in good company. Except in his case, the fellow patrons were no where near as understanding or nice to him. Instead, they just cut dirty looks at my poor husband as he tried to count and apply stamps to 50 Christmas cards, console a screaming 9 month old and shield his ears from the reverberation that her high-pitched wails produced during the ordeal.
He got 5 cards in and called it quits. As a result, we still haven’t managed to send out all our Christmas cards!!
Ashley´s last [type] ..Stranger Danger
I got my DVD the other day. Seeing the return address and the smiley face on the envelope made me smile. Thank you for making my day.
I refuse to step foot inside the post office this time of year.
I would of told the old lady to shove some holly jolly up her…well you know.
Annie is such a trip, too cute!!
That stinks Mike.
Glad to hear you survived!
domestic extraordinaire´s last [type] ..This Year
Ok, that is hilarious!!! You’re a peach
I dread the post office at this time of year. I had to go yesterday. It was a mad house. Luckily I was able to use the Automated Postage Machine, it’s so much faster than the walk up line, you know, since they usually have only 1 person working that line.
AmazingGreis´s last [type] ..Happy Holidays!
hahaha! That made my day! What a nerve that lady had! Can’t ever make people happy huh! Glad to hear you finally made it out of there safely!
This is so funny. What made it even more funny is that it took me reading more than half of it to figure out it was Mike who wrote this.
(I just woke up 20 min ago, I’m not fully awake yet. oops)
Loved the last part. She said doggie to mommy!
And, Mike, You ARE a peach. So is Heather and so is Annie…>I love you all!
Rebecca´s last [type] ..The One About A Guy
oh god!! that was hilarious..sorry
glad you survived(barely)
also, i got my video last night..so yay!!
While I hate what you had to go through to get them shipped, it sure made my day when mine arrived!!
Great picture! You are so brave to go to the post office during the holidays – good strategy taking Annie with you. Cute babies make people nicer (at least most of the time).
amourningmom´s last [type] ..Sawyer’s Story part 3- Tuesdays
LMAO! Priceless!
That old woman needed to be slapped! How rude. Don’t offer your space if you’re going to be upset when things aren’t 100% what you seem. I don’t even think you needed to apologize. You were in front of the other people already anyway and people who go to the post office this time a year and don’t expect a wait are deluded.
Brandy´s last [type] ..Sometimes It Really Does Pay Off!
LOL at Annie calling Heather doggie. She is so silly! That lady sounds like an old scrooge! How rude!
Jeez lil ol’ lady Tis the season to be Jolly! How rude!
Annie calling Heather doggie = hilarious.
And Mike “you’re such a peach” LOL (she’s got to be kidding)
LOL….that is so funny. Sorry you had to deal with that. I sent my husband to the post office last week. He took one look at the parking lot and went to the UPS Store, so luckily he had a much better experience.
And I love that she called Heather, “Doggie”….to cute!
hilarious!
This was hilarious! AND I just got my DVD…and I live on the East Coast, so holy crap, that was fast! I can’t wait to watch it!
LMAO! But I had actually thought this was one of Heather’s posts and was waiting for the punch line where the lady figured out Heather was a girl (not sure how someone would think that but anyway I was falling for it), when I found out it was Mike I actually was laughing out loud to my computer in the living room with the rest of the family thinking I am nuts. Thanks for a good laugh
Merry Christmas!
Dude… PO’d at the PO!! I’m glad you survived that crazy crowd. The PO must be trying to drive people crazy with that one line business!
Haha this is beyond awesome.
Stephanie´s last [type] ..Excitement and Anticipation
I don’t know what it is, but something about entering the post office makes people turn into monumental jerks. !@Dee Dee from above, I also thought that the lady was somehow insulting/mistaking Heather by saying “he” and I had to scroll up to see it was written by Mike, haha!
Also, I would have been so sassy to that old lady. How are you going to let someone cut you and then be all pissy when they don’t go quickly? Also, who in their right mind thinks anyone carrying a child/pushing a stroller is going to be speedy?! What a miser.
The elderly woman did nothing wrong. You knew you had multiple boxes inside the one large box and it was a complete jerk move on your part, to your own admission. No one else here wants to say it, so I will. At least you did apologize to her, which not only was warranted, but decent of you. I’m glad it worked out okay though and your daughter helped save the day by charming the hearts of others in the room. Sometimes it just takes a little baby smile to do so.
I do have to say though, for someone here on this thread to say the ‘old woman’ needs to be slapped is rather horrific and classless. Have some respect, folks! Good grief.
Regardless of how many packages there were, the old lady was being a snot. Slapping her? No way is that cool in my book, but she really didn’t need to insist he go first, then complain when it took longer than she expected.
LMAO! But I had actually thought this was one of Heather’s posts and was waiting for the punch line where the lady figured out Heather was a girl (not sure how someone would think that but anyway I was falling for it), when I found out it was Mike I actually was laughing out loud to my computer in the living room with the rest of the family thinking I am nuts. Thanks for a good laugh
Merry Christmas!
oh wow. That does not sound very pleasant, but I think everyone expects (or at least shoud) long waits at the post office before the holidays. It just naturally occurs! At least you have a cute baby with you to win them over!
Apologies! I was one of those that required an Intl form…..
The DVD arrived several days ago. The postage was great, super fast – thank you.
Merry Xmas.
Jen in Melbourne, Australia.
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