Woe is Technology

So my box came today. 

The one I shipped from New York on March 6th. 

The one filled with little necessaries like Trader Joe’s cinnamon nuts (mmm-mmm), Sunmaid raisins, Crest toothpaste, books, summer clothes, and more books. 

The one that arrived in Bucharest on March 11^th. 

Where it sat, and sat, and sat.

Waiting. 

Waiting for what you ask? 

That’s what I asked so I called Fed Ex.  CSR – ‘Oh no – everything is fine, it has just been selected for inspection, a random selection, there’s no way to know how many are in front of yours.’  Thought to self – this doesn’t sound good.   She didn’t find my joke that they were busy divvying up my Cinnamon nuts and waiting for a lady customs inspector with combination skin to claim my econo-size Origins face wash very funny.  Of course, maybe she realized it wasn’t really a joke. 

Two days later I get a notice in the mail to pick up a letter.

I walk to the lower town to pick it up.

They say, we don’t have it, try tomorrow.

(Uh, weren’t you the guys who sent me the notice you had the letter?)

Yeah…

Two days letter I pick up the letter. 

What was in it?

I was hoping you would ask.

It is a photocopy,

of a print out,

of an email,

of a telephone message

of a telegram

of a notice

of a number to call to claim my package. 

I’m not kidding.

I call.  They ask for my passport number. 

I say, ‘Huh? You don’t need anything else?  No money? Lifeblood? Directions? My first born child? Nothing?’

‘Nu.’

Well, I’m clearly not in Italy…

A week later my package arrives, intact.

Technology can make life more efficient. Now if only humans could use technology more efficiently.

I’m going to go eat some cinnamon nuts, if there are any left….

Comments

[Samuel]

A surprise was send to me to Turkey from Australia.
In some places the Zip code, do not exist, people know where places are and the names of this places, but Australian Post system, forgot that this people exist.
Seconds, minutes, hours and days pass.
But the surprise never arrive.
I had to continu; as a Nomad/Pilgrim A feel when I have to continue.
The sender, my girlfriend, got an answer after several calls 'We know nothing about'.
Seconds, minutes, hours, Days, months, pass and I made more kilometers...
She insist that the surprise can not been gone! She is a bit German and belief in the systems.
More calls, and she got an answer.
'the surprise is here, because do not have Zip code of destination'.
The surprise went back to her 'home'.
I got into Iran and i plan to stay for a wile.
She sent me the surprise other time.
Seconds, minutes, hours, days and moths pass.
The surprise did not arrive.
I guess some times, that some one else was enjoying the surprise; I guess that was getting old and rotten in some dark room; I guess that the destiny was playing a dark game with me and my faith; I just guess but i did not got surprised.
Then I decide to surprise, and i went to visit her.
She got surprised!!!
Second, minutes, hours, days and moths after i surprised her my surprise got back to Australia. A friend who pick it up, send to me other time i opened where she packed ;)
Seconds, minutes, hours, days, moths and a year ago.