NZ Post: Your Mailman, Your Friend, Your Occasional Thief

As a proud resident of New Zealand for many years, I've come to rely heavily on one of our most trusted institutions: NZ Post. Rain or shine, these unsung heroes don their iconic uniforms and brave the elements to deliver our precious parcels and letters.

But my recent experience has forced me to question the integrity of my postal pals. It all started innocently enough. I ordered a pair of shoes online, eagerly anticipating the arrival of my new footwear.

Days turned into weeks, and still, the shoes remained elusive. I checked the tracking number religiously, only to be met with the same frustrating message: "Delivery attempted, no one home." I was perplexed. I had been home every single day, and I'm not the type to ignore a package delivery like it's some annoying salesman.

Driven by desperation, I decided to visit my local post office to investigate. The postal worker behind the counter, let's call her Karen, had that classic NZ Post demeanor – friendly but slightly harried.

"Excuse me, Miss Karen," I said politely. "I've been trying to track my package, but it keeps saying delivery was attempted when I was definitely home."

Karen's eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh, yes, I remember that package," she said with a mischievous grin. "The shoes?"

I nodded, my heart sinking. "Yes, those very shoes."

Karen leaned in close, her voice conspiratorial. "Well, I'll let you in on a little secret. We postal workers, we're not above a little 'sampling' of the merchandise from time to time. Your shoes were just too tempting."

I couldn't believe my ears. "You stole my shoes?" I exclaimed, unable to control my shock.

Karen shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, not exactly stole. More like... 'borrowed.' They'll turn up eventually. Or not."

As I stumbled out of the post office, my mind was reeling. I had always trusted NZ Post, but now my faith was shattered. I couldn't shake the feeling that my mailman, my supposed friend, was actually my occasional thief.

I'm sure this is not a widespread issue, and most postal workers are honest and hardworking. But my experience has taught me one thing: never trust a postal worker with a mischievous twinkle in their eye and a penchant for designer footwear.

To my fellow Kiwis, please be vigilant and keep an eye on your packages. And if you do happen to find a postal worker wearing your new shoes, don't be afraid to confront them. After all, they may just be trying to "borrow" them for a little while.