This story is not about Schroedinger, but is about another stumbling block in a writer’s path. Sadly, the writer is me. It’s a story that will be extremely difficult to believe, but, sadly again, I will give you the opportunity to ascertain the truth at its end.
I decided to print a few copies of the book to get comments from some beta readers and editing from my Granddaughter. On October 12, 2020 I mailed a copy to my Son and Daughter near Sacramento, CA, about a two hour drive from where we live. I don’t remember why, but I used a private mail center rather than the Post Office. They placed their mailing label on the envelope and I also put on one I had printed at home because it had a picture of Schroedinger on it. I used media mail to save postage and they gave me a tracking number to check its progress.
After a week, it hadn’t arrived so I began to track it. The centered text is copied from the USPS website.
October 12, 2020, 11:01 pm Shipping Label Created, USPS Awaiting Item SEBASTOPOL, CA 95472
October 13, 2020, 3:19 pm Shipment Received, Package Acceptance Pending SEBASTOPOL, CA 95472
October 14, 2020, 9:52 am Accepted at USPS Origin Facility SEBASTOPOL, CA 95472
October 14, 2020, 11:07 am Arrived at USPS Regional Facility SAN FRANCISCO CA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER
October 14, 2020, 11:10 am Departed USPS Regional Facility SAN FRANCISCO CA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER
October 15, 2020, 8:15 am Arrived at Post Office SACRAMENTO, CA 95842
October 15, 2020, 8:26 am Out for Delivery ANTELOPE, CA 95843
So far, so good. Note that it took 3 days to be out for delivery to a place that was a two hour drive from where it started. Now the fun starts.
October 15, 2020, 11:23 am Insufficient Address ANTELOPE, CA 95843
Later entries will show that the house number is incorrect. I’m impatiently awaiting the presence of the package so I can determine whether the mail center made a mistake or I did, in which case I must be losing my mind because I know my Daughter’s house number.
October 15, 2020, 12:36 pm Return to Sender Processed SACRAMENTO, CA 95842
October 16, 2020, 3:27 pm Arrived at USPS Regional Origin Facility LOS ANGELES CA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER
October 17, 2020, 7:31 am Departed USPS Regional Facility LOS ANGELES CA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER
October 18, 2020, 7:24 am Arrived at USPS Regional Facility SAN FRANCISCO CA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER
October 20, 2020, 10:54 am Departed USPS Regional Facility SAN FRANCISCO CA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER
October 21, 2020, 7:59 am Arrived at Post Office SACRAMENTO, CA 95842
The first entry in this group shows that the address was wrong and that it would be returned to the sender – me. The next entry shows that it was sent in the wrong direction, to Los Angeles. Then it traveled to San Francisco which brought it a lot closer. Unfortunately, it was sent back to Sacramento rather than to Sebastopol, where we live. The saga continues.
October 21, 2020, 8:10 am Out for Delivery SACRAMENTO, CA 95842
October 23, 2020, 7:25 am Arrived at USPS Regional Origin Facility LOS ANGELES CA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER Your item arrived at our LOS ANGELES CA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER origin facility on October 23, 2020 at 7:25 am. The item is currently in transit to the destination.
The first entry, above, shows it out for delivery again to a non-existent address. Once again, it was sent back to Los Angeles where it has again been sent out for delivery. Is it caught up in an infinite processing loop so that I will never see it again? I must know if I made a mistake on the label so I can determine whether or not I am losing my mind.
This story is hard to believe, isn’t it? This is the United States of America in the year 2020. This is your tax dollars at work in the United States Postal Service. If you don’t believe me, use the Contact Us page to request the tracking number and I will Email it to you.
The only bright spot in the story is the young woman I spoke with at our local postal facility who said she would try to locate the package and have the correct house number put on it. She gave me the impression that she really cared and would do her best. Sadly, it has become more and more difficult for me to find people who really care, much less give a damn.
A final note. I mailed a check to my wonderful website lady in Redding, CA. She had given me the wrong address. It took two months for the Postal Service to return it to me.