Just when you think you’re starting to get the hang of things here…
Last Thursday I got two notices in my mailbox that I’d missed attempted deliveries of packages. The boxes were waiting for me to pick up… at two different post offices. I didn’t get to either before lunch on Friday. And Saturday morning there was no chance of getting out the door in time. So I was determined to make that my mission for Monday.
I dragged Kaitlyn out and to the first post office, in St Martin d’Uriage. The town where we live. The post office is very small and the regular man who works there is out on sick leave. So the fill-in person has even weirder hours than he does. The poste closes at 11am every day, if it is open in the morning to begin with. We got there with 20 minutes to spare and picked up our box. No problem.
Then it was down to Uriage for box #2. After waiting quite a while for all the people in front of us to be helped at the one window, it was our turn. I handed the woman my slip and just smiled. I’d spent the time in the line practicing what to say (Vous avez un paquet pour moi), when I wasn’t telling Kaitlyn to stop doing whatever she was up to. Anyway, the poste woman could not find my box. After a few minutes of looking at the same boxes over and over, she asked me a question. Dang! I was not prepared to go off script. She was not supposed to have any question other than asking for my ID, like the woman in St Martin d’Uriage! I just looked at her. I caught a couple of words, but really had no idea what she was saying. I told her I only speak a little French and was going to ask her to repeat herself slowly when she rolled her eyes at me. I felt myself turn red. Then a man in line spoke up and told me what she’d asked. (Had I gone in before to pick it up. What kind of question is that? Who would be prepared for that?) Finally, a second woman found my box. The first woman handed it over and had me sign for it… and never asked for my ID.
When I got that box home, though, it was worth all the embarrassment. Bill’s sister had sent me Miracle Whip. Gads, I’ve missed that stuff.