Today's post office experience, or ... that's just messed up.

today I went to my local post office in Hobe Sound, FL.  I was mailing a book that I wanted to send out priority mail in the flat rate box (it was a rather large book).  I pick up the box and put it together, only to discover that the bottom of the box is one of those kind where you have to fit the flaps together to make a bottom.  Well, as I'm standing by the Automated Postal Center so I can just zip in and out of the post office without standing in the ridiculously long line caused (a standard feature at my post office), I knock on the customer service door to ask about tape.  Here's the picture: my book's in a priority flat-rate box, that I got from the post office and upon which I'm about to spend $10.70 just for the mailing.  So finally someone comes out and I explained to him that I wasn't sure about the integrity of this box, and that I would like to use the APC to avoid standing in line, and could I please have a piece of tape to seal the bottom.  His answer? Well, he said I would have to go into the main post office area, buy a roll of packing tape and use that.  I asked again, very nicely even the 2nd time, and I said this time that I noticed a roll of priority mail tape on the counter and might I have enough of that to seal up the bottom -- that the purpose of the APC was so that I wouldn't have to stand in the long line inside. He says no. I have to go in, buy the tape and seal the box.

this is just messed up. If they are going to offer these boxes that you have to put together yourself, and you're paying the $10.70 flat rate, they should let you have some tape!!!!!!!!  Not only was I in line a long time, but I had to spend an extra $3.79 dollars to avoid going home, packing up their box and returning to the post office.

seems to me my tax dollars would allow me to have a strip of tape ... what...do they have to account for every inch in the dispenser?  majorly stupid. Who carries tape in their purse when they go to the post office? I will, from now on.