Good things come to those who wait

Way back in May I made an order from a comic shop down in San Antonio for a graphic novel and a couple single issues of comics. The way most comic shops is pretty cool. The huge comics distributor, Diamond, puts out a catalog called Previews each month that contains all the comics that will be released two months later. Customers fill out an order and give it to their local shop for them to pull. Then the customer waits for the release date and goes to pick up the comics. It's almost like the customer chooses the comic shop's inventory.

I expected the order made to come in July, but that certainly didn't happen. Nor did it come in August. In mid-August, I sent a letter to the shop asking what was going on with my order. I didn't receive a reply for several weeks and, when it did come, it was a hand-written letter in bright colored pen - not the formal typed letters I had grown accustomed to from the shop. The letter explained that the shop had new owners that were scrambling to get things in order. My comics would be coming soon, it said; sorry for the delay.

It turned out that the previous owner had misordered a couple of my requests, so the new were waiting for the correct stuff to come in. I sent a list of each of my orders to be sure everything showed up OK, and my mom made a call to the shop asking about progress. I'm a patient guy (a skill I've honed here in prison), but I was getting a it anxious.

Today my first two orders both arrived, finally, along with a huge surprise: the entire first order had been comped. The shop took complete responsibility for the screw-up they didn't commit, and put the money in a store credit. Wow! That's some great customer service, with handwritten letters, too. This shop, Atomic Comics of San Antonio, is definitely committed to their customers and, in turn, this customer is committed to them.

An heroic story

Today an amazing thing happened. I finally received the books from Atomic Comics after the whole wrong order and return ordeal. (See blog entry July 22, 2009.) It took four months but it all worked out. I actually thought nothing good would happen for a while. It's very hard to do anything - especially business - with the outside world.

I thought a wrong order would be near impossible to solve, but the comics shop really helped me out. When I returned the book they sent by accident, I gave a list of books I wanted the exchange to go toward. I ended up getting two graphic novels I've been wanting to read for a while - V For Vendetta and Shortcomings. I've only flipped through them so far but I'm really looking forward to reading them.

Good news when you can find it

I got good news today. The book return I've been working on for seemingly eternity has gone through. The bookstore is actually sending two books to recompense all my trouble! Thank you, Atomic Comics! It's great to deal with decent people every now and then.

To reach the point of the day in which I received the good news, however, I had to deal with another mailroom snag. This written grievance (below)should explain it all. At least the comic store has shown some understanding. The mailroom just doesn't make sense.

Grievance – July 27, 2009

On the morning of July 24, 2009, I went to the mailroom where I was denied a campus information packet from Boston Architectural College. About two weeks ago, when the packet was sent straight from the college, it was spiral-bound and had a hologram cover. I asked the mailroom if the paper information inside the binding could be cut out. She said no because it would be an altered publication. I told her I had the same thing happen last year with a publication and the mailroom just cut the spiral out. That occurred 4/01/08 and I still have the publication after three unit shakedowns.

I then asked if I could have the Boston Architecture College packet sent home, cut out, and sent back to me. She said I could and it would probably work. At my own expense of $3.00 in postage, I sent the packet home to be cut apart and sent back.

Today it was denied after being taken apart and separated from the spiral binding and sent together with the hologram cover. The mailroom called it an altered publication and would not allow me to receive it even after advising the action that I took would probably be okay.

It does not make sense to deny an informational packet about a college. I am trying to research and prepare to continue my college education upon release and am met with opposition.

Also, I have received altered publications many times in the form of newspaper and magazine clippings. I still have in my possession the publication that the mailroom removed the spiral binding from last April ’08 and have never received trouble for it.

The hologram cover also should not be a problem. There is at least one book in the library I can think of – Pick Me Up - that has a plastic hologram cover that is obviously not thought of as a threat.

There is nothing dangerous about excerpts from a college’s informational publication.

Action Requested: Allowance of the Boston Architectural College information packet to be received by offenders upon removal of the spiral binding.