USPS comes through....finally

I shipped a book (with tracking and insurance) just prior to Katrina to a wonderful client who has the pleasure and misfortune to live in New Orleans. The good thing is that her house made it through pretty much intact, though her formal gardens were a largely lost (making the rather scarce gardening book all the more important). So we waited…and waited…and waited…to no avail. As we approached the 180 day deadline, the PO suggested that we file a claim as the last tracking data showed it to be in Memphis one day before the storm hit. So in mid-December we filed our claim and the PO paid it without a problem.

Imagine our surprise when my client went to the PO and was handed the book. She called (and emailed) me to say, “the box itself is in perfect condition as though it was mailed yesterday.” There is, apparently, no indication as to where it was lurking, but it was dry and safe and, after over 4 months, in her hands…far too cool.

Interestingly, the PO does not have a mechanism to take back such payments..so we are donating the payment to a library relief fund down there.