why are you so late?

why are you so late?

how do we explain it diplomatically?

i try to be brief and break it down to 3 things.
people can't take in more than 3 things.
the 3 things are:
1) they changed our start time to 8:00 from 7:00
2) they adjusted (read added on to our routes)
3) it's summer, which means we're covering vacationing co-workers routes in addition to our own...often working 10 hour days.

i have found there are two distinctly different responses to the above info.

1)" i have never gotten my mail so late in my life..who do i call and complain to?"
and
2) "boy, i'm so sorry that you are working such long hours,
it must be terrible for you."

i love those people in the 2nd camp.

unfortunately, one of my adorable customers hails from the first camp and will not accept that she is getting her mail at 3:30 even though i assure her that others on my route are getting their mail as late as 5:30. she stands out there and glares at me, as if she thinks that everything i told her is a steaming crock of poop and i'm actually just extending my 2 hour lunch to a three hour lunch. this from a women who hasn't gotten a piece of first class mail in weeks.

i'll just have to pray for her ..
as i know she is praying for me...
to bid off.