趣味英语阅读：包裹投递Parceldelivery.doc

趣味英语阅读：包裹投递Parceldelivery.doc

Readers"parceldeliverynightmaresContinuereadingthemainstoryIntoday"sMagazine·IsChariotsofFireagoodrunningtrack?·ThegreatOlympicssponsorshipbandwagon·Quizoftheweek"snews·TheMonitorReaderssentinhundredsofemailsinresponsetolastweek"spieceabouttheparceldeliveryconundrum.Here,theysharetheirstoriesofparceldeliveriesgonewrong,andsuggestionsforsolutionstotheproblem.IreceivedacardthroughthedoorsayingtheparcelIhadbeenexpectingwasinmybluerecyclingbininthebacklaneway.IncompletehorrorIranthroughthehouse,outofthebackdoor,intothelaneandopenedthebinlid.SureenoughasIhadexpectedthebinhadbeenemptiedthatmorningwithallmyrecyclingmaterialsinitandalsomyparcel.Ihonestlycouldn"tbelievesomeonecouldbesostupidastoputitinabininthelaneway.Thereasonitwasinthelanewayandnotmygardenwasbecauseitwasemptyingday.AfteraninvestigationbythecourierandthesupplierIreceivedafullrefund.VictoriaGraham,Glengormley,CoAntrim Recyclingbins.Notletter-boxesatall,infactIorderedsomeflowersforafriend,andthecouriercouldn"tgetpastthehighgatesatthedrivewaysotheythrewtheflowers-whichwereinabox-overthewall.Shefoundthemadaylatersoggyandrottenfromtherain.Paul,NottinghamWhenIlivedinabigcityadeliverersimplygavemyparceltoarandompasserbyinthestreetwhosaidthathewasmyneighbourandalwaystookdeliveryofmyparcels.AnothertimeIhadtemporarymailredirectioninplaceforalimitedperiodofthreemonthswhileIwasaway.OnmyreturnandtheendoftheredirectionperiodInoticedacompletelackofmail.Soonafterwardsfriendsandfamilytoldmethatletterstheyhadsenttomehadbeenreturnedas"undeliverable".Itturnsoutthatratherthansimplyendingthetemporaryredirectionsomeclever-clogshaddecidedthatIdidn"tliveattheaddressanymore.AsaresultofthisImissedseverallettersfrommylandlordandactuallyhadmytenancyterminated.Anna,UKMyparcelwas"deliveredtoagate-post".Aftercontactingthesellertheirrecordsshowedthattheparcelhadbeendeliveredandthedeliverycompanyactuallyadmittedthattheylefttheparcelatmygate(whichisonamainroad).Iwasinsidethehousewaitingforthedelivery.Thesellerreadilysentoutanother,duplicateorderwhichgotthrough.Afterreceivingthereplacement,agentlemancalledwithmyoriginalparcelsayinghehadfounditinahedgedowntheroad.JaneO"Mahoney,Launceston,CornwallContinuereadingthemainstoryFindoutmoreLastweekAndrewBomfordlookedintothethornyissueofhowpeopleshouldreceiveparcelswhenmostwereatworkallday.Theparcelconundrum IworkintheatreandweneededaSamuraiswordforaproduction.Afriendletusborrowone-anoriginal1915antique-andsentitregisteredpost.TheRoyalMailwebsitesaidithadbeendeliveredthenextdaybutitdidnotturnupuntiltwodayslater.Whenitdidturnupweheardaknockonthedoorandwhenwewenttoanswerthepost,amanwasgettingbackintohisvanandtheswordwasleftonthedoorstep.Tothisdaywedonotknowwhosignedforitandwestillworrywhatwouldhavehappenedifthishadfallenintothewronghands.Ireturnedtheswordmyselfbyhand.IainDaddy,HighWycombeMypartnerwasexpectingalovelydressshehadorderedonline.Thepostmanthoughtitwouldbealrighttoputtheparcelintherecyclingbin.Heleftascribblednoteonajunkmailenvelopeandoffhewent.Bythetimewegothomeandfoundthenote,thebinmenhadcollectedtherecyclingbin.Mypartnertriedtogetcompensationforthenexttwomonths.Matt,GlasgowNotmuchherethatresemblesaletterboxOnholidaywithmygrandaughter,Nuala,wewentinacraftshopwhereshepaintedamodelfairy,ithadtobefiredtosealtheglazeandtheladysaidshewouldpostitafterwards.Aweeklaterthepostmantriedtodeliverit.Mydaughter(Nuala"smother)tookhertothepostofficetocollectit."NeedsomeID"saidthepostie.Mydaughterofferedherdrivinglicence."No,IDforthenameontheparcel,Ineedapassportoradrivinglicence.""Butshe"smydaughter,she"sfour,shedoesn"thaveID,I"mhermother-here"smyID.""Nosorrycan"thaveit."Nualastartedcrying.After10minsofarguingandrefusingtomoveuntilNualagotherfairy,mydaughteraskedtospeaktoasupervisor,whoquicklydealtwiththematter.SueWright,Keighley ThefurthestI"vehadtodrivetopickupapackageisaroundtripof88miles.TwoweeksagoItrackedsomeitemsIhadboughtfromSwedenonajourneytoTamworthviaDenmark,GermanyandBarking,Essex.Iwasn"tinwhenthecouriertriedtodeliversoIarrangedredeliverythenextday.Itdidn"tarrivedespitemebeingathome.WhenIlookedatthetrackingsystemmypackagewas14kmsouthofParis.IteventuallymadeitbacktotheUKandIdrovebackfromworkinCambridgeshire,70milesandthencetoTamworth,aroundtripof32miles.AngelA,EarlShilton,UKIwasworkinginaRoyalMaildeliveryofficewhenanangryladycameinwitha"sorryyouwereout"card."Myhusbandwasinallmorningandno-onerangthebellorknockedonthedoor.AndnowI"vehadtocomeinacollecttheparcel,"shegrowled.Iapologisedandplacedasmallpacketonthecounter.Herfacebroadenedintoabigsmile."Ohthankheavensthat"scomeatlast"shesaid."Whatisit?Iasked."Myhusband"snewhearingaid."SimonLindley,Cheadle,StaffordshireMypartnerorderedalaptopformeasaChristmaspresent.Iwaitedexpectantlyformysurprisebutitnevercame.AfewdaysbeforeChristmas,myfriendnoticedasmallslipofpaperontheporch.Itread"packageingreenbin".Wewentoutsidetomycompostbin,openedthelid,andfoundthepackageontopofamoundofsticks,mudandworms.Ihadmylaptop-goodnessknowshowlongithadbeeninthatbin,butatleastithadn"tstartedcomposting.Thenextday,anotherslipappearedonmyporch,againinstructingmetocollectapackagefrommycompostbin.Itwasanotherlaptop.Ihadbeensentafterthefirsthadgonemissing.Somedays,Istrollovertomycompostbinandpeerinside,halfexpectingtofindnewtechnologicalgadgetsrestingonapileofrottenleavesandbananaskins.Ally,Scotland