You've Got Mail

It was a beautiful morning, so I decided to go for a scoot while Earl went for a bike ride.  He added a purposeful element to the outing by needing to mail two large envelopes.
Tammy: "No problem.  I can do that."
Earl: "Is the post office accessible?"
Tammy: "Of course.  It's the federal post office.  Duh."


The local Post Office is on one of my familiar downtown routes, so I felt confident that I knew where I was going.  I remembered there being a handicapped ramp up to the doors.  However, the federally mandated ADA compliance stopped there.  When I got to the post office, I looked around for the 'Push to Open' pad for the door—nothing.  I looked around for a person to open the door—no one.  Not a creature was stirring.  Eventually, someone did come up and she was happy to hold the door open for Skeeter and me.  I scooted inside to the outer self–service lobby, as the inner staffed area was closed on Saturdays.  Most everything I needed was within a seated reach–just new to me.  It did, however, require some orientation.

I thought, "Don't panic, Tam.  You're a smart woman; you can figure this out, given enough time."
As I got out my credit card and started reading the instructions, a voice behind me said, "Can I help you?"
I managed to answer "Yes, thanks", rather than "Thank God!" and a helpful man proceeded to step me through using the self–service mail equipment.

 Fortunately, I only had two identical weight envelopes to mail.  Even with my diminished manual dexterity, I was still efficient enough for the people in the line forming behind me to remain outwardly patient. Really—what are you going to say to someone on a mobility scooter—'hurry up'?  Being experienced and even more efficient, the people in line were gone by the time I was ready to leave.
I turned around to exit and came face to face with closed doors.  There was no restroom in sight, so spending more time stuck in the post office wasn't part of my plan.   Using Skeeter, I was able to nudge the door open while not breaking the glass.  Back outside, I scooted home to my own bathroom.

 The lesson: The bladder is a powerful motivator.  Just because a door looks closed, doesn't mean it can't be 'nudged' for quick exits.  
Second lesson: Just because it's a federal office doesn't mean it's ADA compliant.

Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 21, 2013 at 10:09 AM

    Love your adventures! Great job, Tammy.
    You're right, the post offices are neglected entities, I'm reminded every time I go, and in each one I visit, yet there are still services we *need* them for!

    ReplyDelete

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