- Feb 8, 2010
- 102
- 2
- 109
We got our chicks today. All three are up and drinking. When we got them, one was up, and the other two were cold and lying down. Half an hour under the heat lamp and they're all up and peeping/drinking/pooping.
HOWEVER, I've had a crappy morning.
I live in NYC. The city with the most people in the country. I tend to get packages sooner than everyone else. NYC is a major hub for airline shipping, and a lot of other things. So I should have received my chicks yesterday. I did not. Yesterday I was at my post office, blocks from my house, when they opened. No Chicks.
I got up early today and went again.
Me: Good morning. I'm expecting an express mail package, it says hold for pickup.
Clerk: Do you have a package slip?
Me: No, it should have come in yesterday or today. It was sent from Ohio or Texas. Either place is one day express. It was sent out Monday.
Clerk: Yeah. You should have it by now. Sorry, it's not here.
I head home.
I get a phone call,"Hi, we have your package at the main post office (68 blocks from my house.) It's at general delivery."
I get on the subway and take the trip down. I go to general delivery and get in line.
Let me just tell you about 'General Delivery'
IF I happened to live in the smallest town in Ohio, Adelphi I bet the Postmaster/carrier would know who I was and where I lived. If you put 'General Delivery" on a package, it would get to you quite easily. That's a joy of small town life. Knowing your neighbors.
I have about 8,363,710 neighbors. There are 49 post offices in Manhattan alone. Putting "General Delivery" on a package going to NYC re-routes it to the main post office. It's HUGE. It takes up a whole city block. There are at least 73 service windows in the lobby. Marble floors, lots of brass, old lights. It's a beautiful place.
General Delivery is outside, around the back of the building. A small lobby with slapped on paint and bullet proof plastic windows.
Because that's where the homeless go to pick up their benefits checks. No need to provide customer service or amenities for those on the dole.
And because it's the beginning of the month, I wait 40 minutes in the General Delivery line to get my chicks - WHICH AREN'T THERE.
"I'm sorry, you'll have to go out front and check." I was told.
I don't bother waiting in line out front. I march up to a supervisor and say "Hi, I need help. A package was marked "General Delivery" for me." He motions for the back. "NO, I just waited in line for 40 minutes."
"I'm sorry, it must not be here" he says.
"YES. IT'S HERE. I GOT A CALL that my LIVE CHICKENS are in THIS BUILDING."
At this point about 20 people look at me like "IN NYC? You're crazy!" I thought one woman in line was going to lose it. She looked genuinely freaked out.
I tell him the number of the person who called me, and he sends me down to another window.
"Hi, I'm expecting an express package..."
"Where's your tracking number?"
I tell her I don't have one.
"Your tracking number starts with.. . "
"Ma'am. I don't have a number. It's a box of live chickens that are here for me. You should be able to hear it."
She goes to check, and comes back empty.
The supervisor comes back and says "When you said livestock, I called upstairs. They're bringing it down to this window for you."
I thank him and wait.
So I finally got my chickens.
I don't blame MPC. They know my address. They've delivered things to me before, spot on.
Whoever entered the label at the hatchery in Polk, OH. (YES I'M TALKING TO YOU MEYER) messed the whole thing up.
"HOLD FOR PICKUP" does not mean "CHANGE MY ZIP CODE TO THE WRONG ONE." Because they said "General Delivery" the zip code changed to 10001. That's not my zip code. The package was re-routed from the post office that delivers my mail to the main office 70 blocks away.
Even though my correct address was on the box, right above GENERAL DELIVERY, it didn't come to me because the wrong zip code. Thanks McM.
So the strongest chicken (they barred rocks) is gonna be named "The General."
No, not because of General Delivery, but because of General Tso!
I just needed to vent. I'll post pics later.
HOWEVER, I've had a crappy morning.
I live in NYC. The city with the most people in the country. I tend to get packages sooner than everyone else. NYC is a major hub for airline shipping, and a lot of other things. So I should have received my chicks yesterday. I did not. Yesterday I was at my post office, blocks from my house, when they opened. No Chicks.
I got up early today and went again.
Me: Good morning. I'm expecting an express mail package, it says hold for pickup.
Clerk: Do you have a package slip?
Me: No, it should have come in yesterday or today. It was sent from Ohio or Texas. Either place is one day express. It was sent out Monday.
Clerk: Yeah. You should have it by now. Sorry, it's not here.
I head home.
I get a phone call,"Hi, we have your package at the main post office (68 blocks from my house.) It's at general delivery."
I get on the subway and take the trip down. I go to general delivery and get in line.
Let me just tell you about 'General Delivery'
IF I happened to live in the smallest town in Ohio, Adelphi I bet the Postmaster/carrier would know who I was and where I lived. If you put 'General Delivery" on a package, it would get to you quite easily. That's a joy of small town life. Knowing your neighbors.
I have about 8,363,710 neighbors. There are 49 post offices in Manhattan alone. Putting "General Delivery" on a package going to NYC re-routes it to the main post office. It's HUGE. It takes up a whole city block. There are at least 73 service windows in the lobby. Marble floors, lots of brass, old lights. It's a beautiful place.
General Delivery is outside, around the back of the building. A small lobby with slapped on paint and bullet proof plastic windows.
Because that's where the homeless go to pick up their benefits checks. No need to provide customer service or amenities for those on the dole.
And because it's the beginning of the month, I wait 40 minutes in the General Delivery line to get my chicks - WHICH AREN'T THERE.
"I'm sorry, you'll have to go out front and check." I was told.
I don't bother waiting in line out front. I march up to a supervisor and say "Hi, I need help. A package was marked "General Delivery" for me." He motions for the back. "NO, I just waited in line for 40 minutes."
"I'm sorry, it must not be here" he says.
"YES. IT'S HERE. I GOT A CALL that my LIVE CHICKENS are in THIS BUILDING."
At this point about 20 people look at me like "IN NYC? You're crazy!" I thought one woman in line was going to lose it. She looked genuinely freaked out.
I tell him the number of the person who called me, and he sends me down to another window.
"Hi, I'm expecting an express package..."
"Where's your tracking number?"
I tell her I don't have one.
"Your tracking number starts with.. . "
"Ma'am. I don't have a number. It's a box of live chickens that are here for me. You should be able to hear it."
She goes to check, and comes back empty.
The supervisor comes back and says "When you said livestock, I called upstairs. They're bringing it down to this window for you."
I thank him and wait.
So I finally got my chickens.
I don't blame MPC. They know my address. They've delivered things to me before, spot on.
Whoever entered the label at the hatchery in Polk, OH. (YES I'M TALKING TO YOU MEYER) messed the whole thing up.
"HOLD FOR PICKUP" does not mean "CHANGE MY ZIP CODE TO THE WRONG ONE." Because they said "General Delivery" the zip code changed to 10001. That's not my zip code. The package was re-routed from the post office that delivers my mail to the main office 70 blocks away.
Even though my correct address was on the box, right above GENERAL DELIVERY, it didn't come to me because the wrong zip code. Thanks McM.
So the strongest chicken (they barred rocks) is gonna be named "The General."
No, not because of General Delivery, but because of General Tso!
I just needed to vent. I'll post pics later.
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