No matter how hard I strive each day to sort the mail correctly, it seems that a letter or two end up in the wrong mail box. Well, not a totally wrong box, for the numbers may match, but not the road and household name...or the household names are one letter off. A Berkly instead of a Beckly...or names that are close, Sauvola and Savela...Yes, and I have two families that live on the same road with the same first and last name. And, their address is only one number off. And how is even legal to have three houses in a row with same last name?
My mind speed reads and gathers enough info...and finds a correct slot, or so it thinks...especially on days with tons of mail. And this doesn't even take into consideration the times letters are stuck to each other, or if they are thin, I sort as one.
What I know for certain, no matter how hard I try, I will not become a perfect mail lady with zero wrong deliveries! Each week, a letter or two will be delivered incorrectly, and I will be told about. Sadly, I am a repeat offender...for the same similar addresses slip me up. And, I do try and finger the mail at the box to make sure...but, on busy days the mistakes slip on by me.
I have never had so much outside of the office critism for my work. I guess this is how it is working in the public domain, they feel they can give me a job review at any time...and I can't reassure them it will not happen again...for I have not once intentionally put someones mail in the wrong box, just for kicks.
I sit there taking in the hollering, knowing full well, I can't promise no more mistakes. It almost gets comical, if the people were not so angry.
And not everyone writes on the misdelivered letter, "Delivered Wrong"...or puts sticky notes, "Pay Attention" or "Do your job!"...Or bring the mail in to my boss, letting her know how I am doing...some just quietly put the flag up signaling me to stop and pick up my mistakes.
I never try to shy away from my mistakes, I own each and every one and I am as befuddled as they are to how it happened.
I know it must be hard for them to believe I didn't intentionally put someone else's mail in their box, but I did. Reading thousands of addresses each day, they do blend together. I just have no real concrete reason as to why it happened... I can't say why, for I don't know how a few sly letters transpose themselves.
While I have worked doing many jobs that have repetitive actions, but this is one you can't zone out on...even if you are doing the same action over and over again, you must stay present, OR, you will lazily misplace a Smith for a Smith.
It almost seems like it is forcing me to be present in a very repeating situation. Like honing the skills to be aware in the midst of sameness...and striving for perfection that is impossible to attain.
While it hits my funnybone, most don't see any humor in it at all, which makes it funnier and even harder for me to feel contrite.
After a year and a half on the job, I know without a shadow of a doubt, I will mess up again...perhaps the biggest lesson is to relax in its imperfection.
I travel the same roads each day...striving to see a new sight along the way...to not become blind to its beauty.
