Tried to mail a small package -- really it's just a padded envelope with a CD and some papers -- today. Sounds easy, right? Well, the nearest post office is in Harvard Square, about a 10 minute walk --no big deal, but I didn't really want to walk 10 minutes. So I went to the Harvard mail room. Surely they'd be able to tell me how much my package weighed, right? I wasn't even going to ask them to let me buy the stamps from them, or ask them to toss it in the mail for me -- although those both seem like reasonable things that might be possible in a mail room. All I wanted to know was what the package weighed.

Me: Excuse me? I have a little package I want to mail, but I'm not sure how much it weighs. I was hoping you might have a scale and be able to tell me how much postage I need to put on it.
Woman: Oh. I don't do that. Try Room 4. They have a pretty good scale.
Me: Thanks.
(I walk to Room 4)
Me: Excuse me? I have a little package I want to mail, but I'm not sure how much it weighs. The woman down the hall told me you might have a scale and be able to tell me how much postage I need to put on my package.
Man: I don't do that.
Me: What do you mean?
Man: We don't do that.
Me: Don't do what? Can't you just tell me what this weighs?
Man: I have a scale, but we really don't do that.
Me: I see the scale. It's right over there. Can't you just weigh this for me and tell me how many ounces?
Man: Aw, just give me the package and I'll see what I can do.
(I hand him the package. He takes 4 steps to the scale and weighs the package.)
Man: It's about 3 ounces, basically.
Me: More than 3 ounces, or less than 3?
Man: I don't know. It's less than a half a pound.
Me: Yeah, I know.
Man: So it's about 3 ounces.
Me: Great. Thanks.
(he hands me back the package)
Man: Don't ask me how much postage that is though. I don't know. It's a bunch of stamps.
Me: Yeah, I'll just look it up I guess. Thanks.
Man: Sure.
[Sigh]