Saturday, September 17, 2016

The Saga of a "Precious Package"

The saga of the "precious package" actually began in 2004 after my daughter, Jennifer's passing. 

Among the few things that she left, photos were so precious to me that I saved them to give to
her son, Christopher, who was 5 1/2 at the time.

When moving to Mexico, they traveled in the car with me so as not to get lost in the shuffle.
Since then they have been in a special place.

Once I asked Christopher if he would like for me to give him the photos along with other items
that had belonged to his mother.  He said to wait and save them until he was out on his own so
nothing would happen to them.  I did, obviously.

This is the year that Christopher was turning 18!  In July the items came out of their special place
and planning began to put the photos in a special album so they were all together in a way that
would be easy for Chris to take them with him when he went off to college or whatever.

The work on the album began in August so I would have it ready to mail to him before his
birthday on September 4th.

Finished, I took the album to my mail service here in San Miguel to send the box UPS so I would have a tracking number.  I did not want this precious package to get lost and not arrive.  I paid and left the package after being assured that it would leave that day at about noon on August 24th.  There were a lot of people
crammed into this little office where I pick up or mail things so I left it with a person who I trusted to make sure it would go out that day.  At the time I had no worries.

The following Monday I went by to get the Tracking number.  Imagine my dismay when I was told it did not
go UPS but rather was taken to the border and the "girls in Laredo" would be sending it out on Tuesday.
I again vigorously asked that it be sent UPS.  Upon calling the next day I was told it went out regular mail
but would be in Houston no later then Friday, September 3rd.  Needless to say, no package on the 3rd or the 4th or to this day.

Calling every day to check to see if they, the mail service, had found the package in Laredo or San Miguel, it was apparent after my last phone call with the owner on September 14th - three weeks later - that something that I had protected for all these years is gone. 

To tell you that I have had many sleepless nights and a few times of crying over this would be an understatement.  I'm crushed for my grandson who received no gift on his birthday.  But, more then that,
the fact that the photos of him and all the special photos of he and his mother are gone.  Poof.

Luckily I did photograph the pages of the book before mailing it, but of course, I should have scanned each photo as well.  Unfortunately it did not happen.

Here are the photos.  Many have very special meaning as well as being a photograph.  When Christopher
looks at these, I want to be able to tell him the circumstances of the photos when he was little, little.  No,
this method is not ideal but at least there is this.























This was the FIRST time in all these years in San Miguel that I mailed a package North.  I've always given things like this to someone who was responsible, that I knew well and knew they would make sure the package was mailed properly.  My granddaughters, Jessica and Hannah received their albums on their eighteenth birthday because of the kindness of friends.  The lesson I've learned from this is - always depend on the kindness of friends and not the mail service in San Miguel.  Of course I still wonder where this lost "precious package" is sitting. 

16 comments:

Peter Kouwenhoven said...

Wow! What a sad situation for both of you... Hopefully someday this package will re-appear.

La Tejedora said...

Barbara, my heart is in my feet reading this. xoxoxoxox N

Retired Teacher said...

Don't lose hope, Barbara. I once sent a Christmas card to Alejandro at the end of November, but he received it in time for Easter. Hopefully it will appear in a few months, and it will be a Christmas present instead of the birthday present. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Babs said...

Hopefully you are right Peter. It has really had me in a "state of distress" for three weeks. Thanks for commenting.

Nora, thanks so much. It has been an upsetting time. I appreciate your caring.

Bill, thanks for giving me the info about the card to Alejandro. It gives me hope.

Dana Hill said...

What a heart-breaking situation! The precious album may yet turn up, and I hope it does. My heart goes out to you!

marilyn said...

Oh, No! que lastima! I was so sure there would be a happy ending, and the album would have arrived late. While not the same, at least you were so smart to take photos, as your memory of the sweet, meaningful, treasure you made for your grandson.

I think your friend who said it will be a Christmas present is right. So let's all cross our fingers, or hearts or whatever and wish it there for Thanksgiving.

Lena J

Steve Cotton said...

I am a firm believer in the miraculous.

Barbara Lane said...

Oh Barbara. I understand your heartache. Please don't stop believing it will make its way to Christopher. Timing is always Divine and in perfect accord with The Higher Ups. Perhaps he will need it more on another day, rather than his birthday and it will "miraculously" arrive then. The last time I was in San Miguel I sent something home to myself in the states FedEx and what should've (and had in the past) taken a couple weeks at the very most took nine months. Nine months! I exchanged (mostly I sent) over a hundred emails to the place that shipped it. I was upset, frustrated, angry (they would never give me a tracking number). Yet I never gave up hope. I prayed to St. Anthony (finder of lost objects) and determined I WOULD have it. And (drum roll) on my birthday (yes!) nine months later, it arrived. I pray this precious (indeed) gift find its way as well.

LynnB said...

Barbara, don't lose hope! It has to be somewhere and I have a feeling it will turn up - right at Christopher's doorstep. He is a very, very handsome boy by the way!

Elisabeth said...

Oh, how heartbreaking! So smart of you to photograph the pages. At least he'll have some remembrance. Thank you for always sharing the good and the bad of life in Mexico, Barbara.

Joanna van der Gracht de Rosado said...

Dearest Barbara, how my heart goes out to you. Photos of loved ones who left us all to soon are so treasured. I have a feeling though - it will turn up where and when you least expect it. I have received Chritmas cards in July and year-old birthday greetings. Please let us know when it shows up.

Babs said...

To each and every one of you who sent positive messages, you'll never know how much I appreciate them. It has given me HOPE. I promise if and when it shows up and wherever it shows up, I WILL let you know and we can all have a laugh and a toast and a sigh of relief.

Thanks so much.

B

Tancho said...

How sad that the package is lost, and how dissapointing that "I left it with a person who I trusted to make sure it would go out that day" your trusting that person caused such a loss.
One could simply go on and forgive and forget, but myself I would find a way to bestow some heavy gilt on your "trusted friend". Yes, I know they probably thought they were doing you a favor, but in reality I have found that people in general never see the same level of importance as you do. Your experiencing this is a lesson for all of us not to trust anyone with something that important.
I hope that it may show up, but thankfully you have some copies that you can put together. You might scan them and send them via email as well as putting together another album.
Good luck, and I am sorry for your experience

Babs said...

You are so right Tancho. If the employee, who I trusted, had done what I asked and paid for - to send the package from San Miguel UPS that day, none of this would have happened. I roll along emotionally between sadness, disappointment, frustration and anger. Hopefully, but doubtful, that it will end in a positive way. Thanks for your comment.....

sylvia said...

I am so sorry to read this....fingers crossed and praying it shows up. Please keep us posted.. I really want this to have a happy ending.💜

Babs said...

Thanks Sylvia, very kind of you. Me too, I SO hope this is resolved in a positive way......