No News is Old News

This morning my paper was late again. I called again. This happens so frequently that I’ve kind of built mit into my morning schedule, you know, take Dogger out, feed Dogger, call the paper to complain that my paper isn’t in my hands again, fix my tea, pill The Kitty...

Well, this morning when I called, the operator connected me to a mid-level muckity-muck. Okay. I was expecting an apology, vague sounds about replaceing the carrier and a promise to do better in the future. I’ve heard it before but I'd like to hear it again. Sometimes you provide customer service sometimes it is provided to you.

I didn’t get an apology. Not even close. I was blamed for my bad service, I should feel bad about putting her delivery guy at risk! That there are neighborhoods “attached” to my street that are not safe. I told her my street is a dead end, there isn’t anything “attached” to my street and that if her delivery thug is afraid of running in to old friends, then he should flip his route and do my street first, if only to shut me up. No dice .

I told her that if he is so afraid why is my paper not late every day, why has he and all the past delivery guys had been good and on time and then gradually slacked off? When I went through this the last time, the delivery guy got fired for this same crap. He stopped doing his job and he got fired. She told me I live in a crappy neighborhood and that was why my paper is always late. The direct quote was “You live in a Dangerous Neighborhood and you shouldn’t have any expectations of early morning delivery”. She said there were neighborhoods where they couldn’t deliver until after it is daylight. I couldn’t believe I was having this conversation. I reminded her that redlining is illigal. I told her I’ve met my paper delivery guy in the dark and I found him threatening and that he obviously learned his customer service skills from her.

It would be one thing if my paper was delivered by some kid on a bike, but that kid hasn’t delivered a paper since 1978. My delivery guy is 34 year old guy with a big stereo in his car and an attitude problem. I told her that while I don’t live in lillywhite North Raleigh, I hardly live in the ghetto. The N and O is a morning paper and that is when it is designed to be read. They wonder why readership is down? I know why, I know her name.

She told me she was driving “near here” one time and somebody tried to open her car door. I told her she should keep her doors locked and that I hoped she had called the cops. By the end of the conversation I was so mad I was spitting nails. This was at twenty after six in the morning. I’m not used to experiencing “mad” at that hour of the day. I don’t like it.

Later, I called The Raleigh police to see what the crime in my neighborhood was, how scary is it? Around here? Nuisance calls, just assholes being assholes. Bad scarey guys doing bad things to good people? no reports. Today, I'm going to have them do a wider search and then I'm going to call that bitch back.