Maybe I’m Schleprock. If you’re about my age, you know who Schleprock is. If not…he’s a character on The Flintstones who has exceptionally bad luck.

Lost shipments. I rarely complain, but I’m complaining today…wondering if others are experiencing the same thing.

Do you remember when we didn’t order online all the time? Do you remember when we actually purchased things in brick and mortar stores, and nothing was shipped to our homes? The delivery trucks weren’t an everyday sight on our neighborhood streets. Right? If you’re anywhere close to my age, you remember those days.

Now, the delivery trucks from the two big US shipping companies are in my neighborhood daily…usually more than once. And often, they’re ringing my doorbell.

I will admit it. I order online a lot. I have subscriptions for lots of household items, and those are delivered regularly, and if I can’t find things I want/need in local stores or boutiques, I order online for that too. The UPS delivery man is one of my best friends. I’ve said before that my husband used to say he wished I got as excited when he came home as when the UPS man rang the doorbell. I told him, “If you always brought me packages, I’d be excited to see you too!”

But here’s the downside: now that everyone is ordering to have everything shipped to their homes, more packages are being lost. Maybe it hasn’t happened to you, but I’ve actually become a little paranoid that there’s a big red mark next to my name on their shipping manifests. Why? Because both companies have lost multiple packages that were shipped to me over the last few months.

Yesterday, I was expecting a shipment from a company in California. It contained a gift that I needed to give someone today. When it hadn’t arrived at about 5:00pm, I looked up the tracking information on the website of the delivery company (I won’t say which one it was this time), and it said it would be delivered to my house before 8:00pm. But I looked at its “progress,” and it had been sitting in another city for three days. And I knew what that meant: it was lost. Unless they were “Bewitched,” there was no way that package would be delivered to my house by 8:00pm.

I called the toll free number, and when I entered the tracking info, it said my package would be delivered by 8:00pm. Again…wrong. So instead of dealing with the stupid prompts on the phone, I just started saying “REPRESENTATIVE” (loudly) every time the stupid system asked another question. Finally, it connected me to a representative. She took my information and promised me they would call me within two hours with information. Well, I’ve heard that before (from the other company), and it never happened, but what could I do? So I waited, and miraculously, they called me back…and apologized that my package was “delayed.” Hmmm…I asked, “What does that mean? That it’s lost?” He confirmed it was “misplaced.” And then he told me they would search for it, and someone would call me back within 48 hours. Meanwhile…I need the package now. {Sigh.}

So now I’m not expecting the package at all. Almost every time something has been “misplaced,” it was actually “lost.” The only time something actually turned up was when I shipped a check overnight to my brother in Alabama. I’m not even sure that one counts, though, since it wasn’t coming to me. My brother did receive that check, but I’m convinced it actually turned up because it was “misplaced” in Montgomery, Alabama, and my brother sweet-talked the lady at the office there to actually look for it.

This is a long way of saying I’m not expecting to receive that package…ever. In the past six months, these companies have lost two dresses, some shoes, some reading glasses, and some t-shirts. None of it was a big deal, but dang it, I wanted the stuff I had paid for! And I even paid extra for faster shipping…so really, I wanted that money back too! And more than once, the other shipping company has promised me “call backs” or “refunds” that never happened. But my hands are tied! I can ruin my own day by continuing to call, or I can let it go. The stores always refunded the cost of the items or replaced them, so I just gave up on the shipping companies. Seriously, though, if they would just let me go through the bins in their warehouses or offices, I feel sure I could find those packages somewhere.

So last night, I reordered the gift I was expecting to be delivered. If the other one turns up (doubtful), I will return it for a refund. Since the store I ordered from is in California, I have to wait till 1:00 this afternoon (10:00am their time) to call them and let them know I haven’t received the original package.

Maybe it’s just the law of averages. Maybe I’m just Schleprock. I promise, I’m not having a pity party…I’m just letting folks know they’re not alone if it seems more of their shipments are being “misplaced” or “delayed.”

I know…first world problems. So…are you experiencing the same thing?

Maybe I’m Schleprock.