Gone postal

I haven't had much luck with postal services lately. First, if you may recall, it was my package from a friend that went permanently MIA last month. Then, yesterday I had some issues when I went to mail a package to a friend of mine. I think I was already a little grumpy because I had walked the 15 minute distance from my apartment to the UPS place in the rain. But, I brushed it off, excited that I had finally given up my lazy and procrastinating ways to get the creative care package mailed out. Or so that was my intention....

I had needed a box to mail the stuff and perused all the different sizes they had. The smallest one was almost $5. I was told they would have to pack it themselves since I had something that was technically "fragile," though not to my standards. I was like, "ok, that's cool." I was told it would be an extra $5 to pack it, not including the almost $10 to mail it out. I look at him with dismay. This man expects me to pay $20 for a small package?! For real? I tell him that's simply too expensive/ridiculous and that I would just bring in my own box. I leave, go across the plaza to Ulta 3, where they kindly give me a box they are about to throw away. Go back to UPS store and have aforementioned postal worker tell me that it is against their policy to have customers pack their own boxes there. WHAT? I thought postal offices exist to help you with your mailing needs and now there are picky conditions/criteria one must meet to mail a package? You'd think I had some mini explosives or something. I just shook my head at the absurdity and left. I boxed it up myself once I got home. I decided I'm not even going to go back to that particular place, but will go to an actual post office later this afternoon.

Why must people make things more difficult than they have to be? I don't understand it, other than to guess it must have alot to do with milking an extra dollar (or $20 in my case) for corporate America....