On 23rd of this month, last Thursday, I was literally cursing myself for the delay. FedEx would not be able to deliver my package before the 29th. I had overestimated FedEx's capabilities (with specific reference to the Christmas weekend). I HAD to get some document across to my father (in Madras) by the morning of Dec 29th and here I was inside Kinko’s (in case you didn't notice the banner outside, they merged with FedEx). The only option I had was to go to the UPS guys.
With my confidence levels ground-level, I had nothing to lose. The clerk at the UPS counter restored it. "$45 for 2 Day shipping", he repeated after I pestered him. I filled the sheets, packed the Box, but all along, I just had one question. Did the guy look at the Address details correctly? Did he key in India for his estimates? With a serpentine line of lazy bums waiting to ship "by the fastest available service", behind me, I didn't risk the embarrassment of being slapped for asking the questions all over again.
So, when I got to the counter again, I re-phrased the question, "Do you have some kind of a guarantee for this to reach in Two days?". "Yes Sir, all of our services, except for Ground have guarantees". After paying it up, I couldn't stop thanking my stars.
"So, its $45.64 and you're package should reach Madras on Dec 27th, guaranteed" he paused. "Unless, of course, there is an act of God in between". “An Act of God!” I thought to myself, as I smiled at his formality and ran out.
About 2 A.M. on Sunday morning, I was trying to track my package, when the enormity of Indonesian tremor (reported earlier) dawned upon me. The Big waves arrived early on Sunday morning, as kids were playing Cricket on the countless pitches on the Marina Beach and took them all away. My package arrived safe in Madras a day after it was guaranteed, still in time for my Father's appointment, but gone were Thousands of people who may have smiled at the phrase "Act of God" on the Days before Sunday, just like me at the UPS.
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