Today I received this package in the mail. It’s never a good thing when the USPS has to tell you they care. Read on to find out how I mailed two books and received back a small child’s boot (the right one).

The Packaging

To understand how the boot even got back to me, you need to understand that I re-use packaging whenever possible. For example, back in May I ordered something from Meh.com and it arrived in a plastic bubble wrap package, which I threw into the “bag of packaging”. Hence, my address (and tracking number) was on the packaging from a previous trip:

The package is mailed

I’m a member of a website called PaperBackSwap that allows members to post books they have read and request books from others. A member requested two books from me, and I packaged them up using the plastic bubble-wrap envelop mentioned above (keeping the address on the inside of the folds) and used a generous amount of shipping tape to affix the PaperBackSwap printable postage label to the outside of the package.

Our local mailman picked it up on Tuesday July 13th at 11:32am, but apparently it never got “beeped” into the USPS tracking database, because (at least as of today) it doesn’t show up.

But I do know it made it into the USPS system because sometime between when the postal carrier picked it up and it got scanned for the first time, something mangled the package (and at least one other package, containing at least one child’s boot….)

The packaging is returned, with a boot

Today, Thursday July 15th I received the dreaded “We Care” plastic bag. It would appear that a worker at the USPS had gathered up the packaging on the floor along with one child’s boot, put them together and sealed them back up into a “We Care” bag. Since my address was already on the packaging, it got back to me, so at least I know that the books are probably not going to make it. But you have to wonder…where did the other boot go?

July 16th Update:
The mailing label for the books is still active! On July 16th it was “accepted” at a USPS origin facility. I don’t know what (if anything) is traveling with the label, but it is still traveling forward!

Now I’m very interested in finding out what arrives….I’m sure the recipient would like the two books, but I’m kind of rooting for the 2nd boot….

Lets follow along, shall we? USPS Tracking: 9449011200817822649216  

Notes:

• The books were mailed USPS Media Mail (but PaperBackSwap does have tracking numbers on their Media Mail Printable postage).
• I had included the PBS “information for the sender” and “information for the receiver” printout bookmarked inside one of the books, which included the recipeients address and the titles of both books, so it is POSSIBLE (but not likely) that the books will make it to their original recipient.
• I had wrapped/taped the books/package relatively well with shipping tape, and I feel that the packaging was eminently reasonable in quality and cohesiveness.
• If you were expecting to receive a package with two Weatherproof Child size 10 Winter Fun boots (used, based upon the clay on the bottom of the tread) but only received one…get in touch.