The Dog Doesn’t Bite But This Clerk Might

I get one of those “Sorry we missed you” cards from the postal service, so I have to go to the local post office branch to collect a parcel. I am meeting with a friend the same day, so I take my dog and we decide to stop by the post on the way to the coffee house. 

My local post office branch — unsurprisingly — has a no-dogs-allowed policy, which I am well aware of. This is why I hand the lead to my friend and both she and my dog wait for me right outside the entrance. I go in. There are no other people at the time, so I go straight to the clerk with my ID and my reference number.

Me: “Good afternoon. Can I please collect my parcel?”

Clerk: “Is this your dog?” *Looking outside*

Me: “Yes.”

Clerk: “Dogs are not allowed!”

She points at a poster on the wall that confirms the same.

Me: “That’s okay; he will stay outside.”

Clerk: “No, dogs are not allowed!”

Me: “I understand that. He will not enter the building. They are just waiting for me outside. Now, can I have my parcel?”

Clerk: “Dogs are not allowed!”

Me: *Slightly annoyed* “My dog is not inside the premises, so I do not see a problem. Are you telling me that I won’t be served because I have a pet?!”

Clerk: “DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED!”

She is getting quite fanatical, repeating the same thing over and over again. I’m a very patient person, but after five minutes of “Dogs are not allowed,” I get fed up.

Me: “Any chance I could speak to someone else here?”

Clerk: “No! Dogs are not allowed!”

Me: “Hello? Anybody back there?”

I raise my voice, hoping that somebody else will come, and a manager quickly shows up.

Manager: “What seems to be the problem?”

Clerk: “The lady has a dog; dogs are not allowed!”

Manager: “But… but… the dog is outside.”

Clerk: “NO! Dogs are not allowed, THOSE ARE THE RULES! YOU SHOULD KNOW THE RULES!”

The manager looked baffled. He sent away the clerk, apologised profusely, and handed me my parcel.

The clerk still works there, but I see her mostly in the back room sorting the parcels. I guess my situation wasn’t the only issue, so they are trying to keep her away from customers.