The Sad Tale of Lisa's Underwear

On Friday we received a stack of "Welcome to Your New Home" cards - most of which had been mailed before we left the US.

This brought to mind a story about Lisa's underwear... bear with us please. Right before we left the US, Deb (Lisa's trusty business Partner) offered to take Lisa shopping at the Ralph Lauren store with a major coupon she got from a friend. Those of you who know Lisa, know she is not a Ralph Lauren kind of gal, so she politely declined. On the other hand Lisa is a "sale" kind of gal - so when Deb returned with stacks of unbelievably priced, good quality clothing, Lisa made her turn around and take her back. It was at that sale that Deb discovered the bikini that ruled the universe. The bikini that would represent "la dolce vita" of life in the Bahamas - and Lisa bought it. Then she left it - in a drawer in the guest room of Deb's lovely home with a stack of old underwear.

Knowing that Lisa couldn't really live without that adorable Ralph Lauren bikini, Deb efficiently packed it up, along with her old underwear and some mail, and sent it priority to the Bahamas. "Don't worry", said Deb, "it says you will get it in 6-10 days." (cue Bahamaian laughter)

When someone from outside of the Bahamas asks for our mailing address now - we laugh. We are so jaded. The Bahamas doesn't have a mail home delivery system. The only way to get mail is to purchase a PO Box at one of the mail stores around the island. We did that before we arrived and spent the first two weeks opening that little mail slot only to see a gaping, empty hole mocking our hopeful expressions. Even the ladies at the counter were laughing at the fact we came in every day.

After about two weeks of waiting for her bikini Lisa approached one of the counter girls. The girl glanced around at a huge pile of boxes (about 3 stacks high and 5 stacks deep) behind the counter nudged a couple aside with her foot (we think that was just for show) and said, "nope, don't see it."

"But I'm not sure you understand," Lisa patiently explains, "it was sent Priority Mail."

"Uh huh", says the counter girl nodding her head.

"So it is supposed to arrive in 6-10 days."

"Yeah, that's right", says the counter girl.

"But it's been two weeks and you said it's not here."

Understanding dawns on the counter girl's face. "Oh - 6-10 days to the Bahamas sure", says the counter girl. "But I have no idea when you will get it!"

So about 6-7 weeks later Lisa gets a little note in her PO Box that the package has arrived. Whoo hoo! She goes to see the counter girl who tells her it's not there.

"But didn't you guys put this note in my box telling me it's here?"

"Yep, but I can't find it."

"But it's here?"

"Must be."

OK. Feeling defeated and a not a little frustrated, Lisa returns to the car.

A few days later when we have a chance to go to the mail box again - we find a different counter girl who explains that this note is from the Post Office downtown who are holding my package for payment of customs duty. For old underwear?

We make the drive to the pre-historic post office in downtown Nassau where we are shuffled from queue to queue, getting stamps and signatures all for no apparent reason, until we finally receive the box. With a huge grin of relief on her face Lisa picks up the box and turns from the counter to go home.

"Excuse me Maam?" says the gigantic lady behind the desk, "please open the package and display the contents."

So... we have only been here two months and already on this island there are approximately 25 people who have seen Lisa's underwear.