Deliveries

Apparently my shipment from Canada will be delivered today. This means I will soon have my books, bike tools, cooking implements, towels, shoes, clothes and other things useful for living.

Because of the local respect for punctuality, deliveries here are quite convenient. Yamato simply called me up and asked me when I wanted the stuff dropped off.

Yesterday, I received some granola bars from Deborah - which is great because it's almost impossible to find anything remotely granola in Japan. I wasn't home on Monday when the postman first tried to deliver the package, and I found a note in my box when I got back.

I went down to my local post office, expecting the package would be there, but they told me that it wasn't and to call a central number. At first, I thought this very inconvenient, but I gave them a call. Eventually, I was able to get on the line with someone who spoke a bit of English, and we arranged for a drop-off the next day.

Somehow, I didn't hear my intercom when the postman first arrived, but that evening I found another note. I called and when I asked for someone who spoke some English, I was put on the line with the same woman who I had spoken to the day before. At length, I was able to explain to her that I had been at home at the time written on my second notice, but that I had not been notified that the postman was there. She was profusely apologetic and asked me if I was home at the moment. When I told her I was cooking dinner and would be home for some time, she told me the post man would come back at 9 pm. Moreover, she assured me that if he could not ring me on the intercom, she would call my cell and to this end took down my number. Sure enough, at 9, just after I had finished dinner, the postman returned with my granola bars.