NOTHING WORKS ANYMORE: Lament of the Privileged

I'm about to launch into a litany of problems of the privileged.  As I battled with the shoulder-shrugging clerk at my local post office -- which by the way, looks like a relic of the very worst of 1960s architectural design, with it's one-story construction, dirty white brick, with black/gray trim, and indoor "open space" that just looks like the worst of the worst grimy bureaucratic office ever -- I noted around me a cross-section of fellow/sister citizens trying to deal with all manner of problems that they believed the USPS could help them with.  They left as thwarted as I, with seemingly zero recourse.  This is demoralizing and I realized that for some people this is daily life; trying to follow the rules, take care of their lives, do their business to the best of their abilities to move forward in a system that stymies at every turn....it's no wonder many just give up.  

So, anyway, why does so much have to be so hard? Why don't things just "work" as expected?

We had our old cast-off refrigerator in our garage as a second fridge for years, for the freezer space and storage of the "extra" everything that comes from Costco.  It was probably 20 years old, but finally gave out.  We ordered a new refrigerator from Costco, a modestly priced Kenmore (still $700!).  It was delivered, set up, and we loaded it up.  Within days frost began to form around the freezer door.  Bad seal, right?  We could actually SEE that it wasn't sealing.  Hub contacted Costco about getting a replacement refrigerator, but they contacted Kenmore who sent a 12 year old technician out to see for himself.  "Bad seal", he said.  And made another appointment to replace the seal.  I get confused at this point about all the times they no-showed or cancelled, but finally he showed up and "fixed" it.  It was worse.  Another round of calls, emails, and appointments occurred and a new seal was installed.  It was even worse.  We told Costco they had to replace the refrigerator.  They balked.  Told us the window for replacement had passed and we should have asked sooner.  WE DID!  They were the ones who tried to fix it rather than replace it with all the fits and starts and unsuccessful repairs until indeed the time to send it back ran out but that wasn't our fault.  Hub fought back.  Finally they relented.  Then yesterday a surprise package arrived on our front porch -- a new freezer door that we are apparently expected to replace ourselves as a last ditch effort not to replace the whole refrigerator.  It shouldn't be this hard, should it?

We always fly Alaska Airlines.  We are MVP members with miles and credit cards and loyalty perks and all that.  But on flight to Kauai this spring our largest suitcase hit the baggage claim conveyor minus one wheel.  It was a pain to try to navigate that big heavy thing with only three wheels.  We filled out a damage claim with Alaska.  The clerk happily assured us it would be reviewed and all would be well.  Nope.  Denied.  "Normal wear and tear".  So Hub set about contacting the suitcase manufacturer for a replacement wheel.  He made phone calls, wrote emails, took photos, and explained exactly what we needed.  They were fairly responsive and said they'd send a new wheel NO CHARGE.  Wow!  It arrived a few weeks after we returned from our trip -- wrong wheel.  Nothing at all like the one that we need, the one Hub had submitted actual photos of from all angles.  He's back to trying to get them to send the right one.  It shouldn't be this hard, should it?

We have security cameras around our house.  Not that we have anything so valuable to protect, except my sanity.  We had a break in while I was home 36 years ago and I've been on high alert ever since.  So we bought a wireless system and have cameras strategically placed so I can see who's around the house when things go bump in the night.  The cameras have caught potential bad guys in the act of casing our doors and truck in the driveway, so I'm glad for them.  Except two of them stopped working.  One has a battery that will not charge anymore.  One is connected to a little solar panel that supposedly keeps it charged but the panel or the battery stopped working out of the blue too.  I know...replace the batteries.  But they are not that old and they SHOULD be working!  Besides they are expensive specialized batteries, not your typical AA's. It shouldn't be this hard, should it?

Back to the post office, we had our mail held during our most recent trip.  On the day we returned, the carrier was supposed to deliver our accumulated mail.  He did not.  Nor the next day.  So the third day I stopped by the depressing post office to see if it was there for pick up, thinking the delivery instructions may have been misunderstood.  The clerk took a look.  Nope, nothing there.  Hmmm....  "Well, then, where is it?" I asked.  She tried to help problem solve this by asking if I normally get a lot of mail...um, well, it was 12 DAYS WORTH, so yeah, there should have been a fair amount of mail!  Then she asked if a neighbor might have grabbed it.  Nope it goes into a slot dropping into my front closet.  I told her it was impossible that there would be no mail for me.  

She took another look and came back empty-handed again, saying there was no "hold" mail for my address.  I'd already been at the counter for 30 minutes!  I almost went postal.  I always preface my public berating of "the system" by assuring the person behind the counter s/he is not to blame, but I did have a few choice words about the postal system in general, the reliability of same, the inconvenience and likely cost (in late fees) of not getting my mail/notifications/bills in a timely manner, and just the unbelievable incompetence of losing a person's 12 day accumulation of mail.  She shrugged sheepishly in seeming agreement.  Just doing her job.  

Then I hit upon an idea,  "Do you think it's on the truck today?  Maybe it was just late in making it to the route!"  She said, "No.  We won't be delivering to your route today.  We don't have enough carriers."  Whatever happened to "neither rain nor sleet", etc etc.???  She did suggest that since my carrier (who is great, by the way) was on vacation he might have set aside my mail and another carrier didn't see it.  (What?  Didn't see it?  Where would it be squirreled away?)  So I asked how long my carrier would be out...2 weeks.  She took my name and number for a supervisor to call me back. I'm not holding my breath.  It shouldn't be this hard, should it?

Back to my original disclaimer.  I am humbled by the daily trials of those who are dealing with life and death issues of finances, employment, housing, childcare, health care, and on and on and who do not have the time, resources, or ability to continue to navigate a system increasingly reminiscent of a Third World impersonal bureaucratic nightmare.  I'd give up too.

At least, that's the view from here...©

Photo Credit:  www.pixabay.com

******UPDATE******

Our mail was delivered today -- only 4 days delinquent.  The substitute carrier was very nice and apologetic, but explained they do not have enough carriers to run every route every day.  Who knew?  And he said the clerk talked to him about my visit.  He told her where to find my held mail. She said, "Oh, that's the one place I didn't look!"  Sigh.