So, let me tell you a story…
I left the house on Friday and noticed a package sitting on my front doorstep. This really isn’t that shocking since I do a LOT of shopping online. However, this package was a little…strange. It was a rather battered box, not so much taped shut, as held together with tape. It had an address label from Illinois, and I didn’t recognize the addressee’s name, and it wasn’t addressed to anyone, it only gave my house address.
Now, if you’re friends with me on facebook (which if you aren’t, you really should be…) you know I work as a dispatcher for a busy police department, and have for the past 13 years. So what looks totally normal to most people looks a little 925 to me (that’s police speak for suspicious). Last year, we had an explosion rock one of the cities we patrol. The person at a business opened a package that had been delivered and as soon as the box flaps were opened the thing blew up in her face and took out her, and half the building. When the first unit got on scene, he comes over the radio and all he says is “We’ve got body parts!”.
Now, after 13 years in dispatch I’ve angered quite a few people, but I didn’t think I’d angered anyone to the point they’d want to blow me up. But you never know in this crazy world we live in…🤷🏻♀️
The little box sitting on my doorstep kind of prickled my Spidey sense. I mean, it was a battered box, addressed to no one, and it weighed nearly 5 pounds. There was no ticking coming from inside, but it still didn’t sit right with me. So I brought it in the house and let it sit there in the front hallway, giving it serious side-eye whenever I walked by. 😒
The next day, while chatting with a couple of fellow dispatchers at work, I mentioned the package, and they agreed the circumstances around is were a bit shady. When I got home, I looked at the box again and took it outside. Since the Elders were off visiting Dearest Sister and the Littles, I FaceTimed with them to see if they knew who it was from. Nope. They didn’t know anyone by that name, either. I checked the tracking number, and it only says “package was delivered”. Thanks USPS…
At this point, I’m tempted to open it, but all I keep hearing in my mind is “We’ve got body parts!” and all I keep thinking is who’s going to feed the cats if I get blown up? It’s morbid, I know, but that’s how I roll. 🤷🏻♀️
So I sent a text to another dispatcher who was currently on duty, asking which officers were working in my city, hoping that one of the guys I trained long ago was on patrol.
No such luck.
But she was able to send someone out to look at it on the DL (meaning they all know about it, but my address won’t show in the computer system).
So there I am in my front yard, sipping my ice tea, waving to the neighbors, and having a face-off with a USPS box, waiting for the police to show up.
When they do arrive, they take a look at it, lifting it up, poking at it, checking the tracking number, listening for any strange noises coming from inside. Nothing
They were getting ready to open it when they noticed the tape on one side had already split open. Now they get on the phone and start making plans on what to do with it. Had the tape split because the box was beat up? Or had it been tampered with? Was there a dog on duty who could check it? Do they want to open it there, or take it to the station?
Long story short, they took it away to open in a safer location to figure out what to do.
Next thing you know, I get a text with pictures of the box. It was open and full of washi tape and stickers.
Ok, now I felt like a dolt. I headed down to the station to pick it up and yeah… it was planner supplies.
Confession: I’m a Planner Chick—washi, stickers, colored pens…the whole thing.
I knew there was a box of planner supplies going around to the members of a planner group I’m in. Each person adds or removes what they want and sends it to the next person on the list.
Here’s the thing—I didn’t know I was on the list, and I have no idea how anyone got my address.
So this is your friendly reminder that if you mail something to someone, put their name on the box. And if it’s part of a chain package like that, let the next person on the list know it’s headed their way so they can avoid a lot of potential embarrassment.
I’m still getting teased for it. 😑
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