people: do your jobs! correctly!!

i am royally peeved with the UPS delivery guy who was supposed to deliver a very important, urgent package to me yesterday. yes, the chances that he's reading this are next to nil, but i still need to rant.

in order to prove to the uk border agency that i have had GBP 800 in my account for the past 3 months (this is the piddly amount they expect you to "maintain" yourself on in the UK -- i'm sorry, but GBP 800 would be enough for rent for a month with about 8 room-mates, dining on food salvaged from dumpsters. but fine). the details of what needs to be in the proof that you have these funds borders on ridiculous: official everything, can't be faxed, needs to come from your financial institution (as opposed to notarized statements or something similar) on official letterhead, blah blah blah.

i get in touch with my NYC bank and arrange all these things. they have to send them to me via courier since the time for my interview is nearing. they sent it 2 day-express via UPS (oh by the way, i'm arranging all of this at 6:30 AM PST since my banker is at work at 9:30 AM and i want to make sure i get this done before her day gets ballistic.)

i wait a couple of days. no package. i get up early again - call the bank and ask for a tracking number. check the tracking number. oh wow. my package was apparently delivered yesterday to my front door. hahahaha. i circumnavigate the house looking for the package, tucked into a nook or cranny (incidentally, once a courier left university transcripts for my roommate (A.W.) underneath our welcome mat. the letter was discovered only when J.H. stepped on the welcome mat and felt it was a little weird. he looked under it. meanwhile, A.W. was going nuts because her grad school apps were due and she needed the transcripts.). no package.

i called UPS here in vancouver. they told me that they'd have to put a trace on the package. but that i can't authorize the trace. it has to be authorized by the shipper. so back to calling the bank, speaking to a very lovely person who was very helpful. she requested the trace. in a few minutes - after talking to UPS - she called back to say that the package had been delivered to the wrong address! about 4 houses down. UPS would go pick it up and re-deliver it. but couldn't say when i'd get it.

eventually, i walked over to the house where the package was mis-delivered. the door was answered by a surly lady (ah, slurry/sorry/sorely/surly) who had at her heels a HUGE dog. she had the door opened just a smidge, but i could hear her crazy, rabid dog trying to lunge at me through the closed door! aaaack. she said they didn't receive anything from UPS and was about to close the door in my face, when i asked if she could just take a quick look upstairs.

she begrudgingly agreed. she came back down (crazy dog kept watch over me standing in front of their closed door) with my package. apparently her elderly father had signed for it.

argh UPS and their illiterate delivery-people. yes, yes, anyone can make a mistake, i know. and i've made many, but for right-now, i'm going to be a meanie.