The acme of Maltapost's diabolical service has now reached the stage where they not only do not implement what they themselves, in plain simple English or Maltese, tell you in print on their own forms, but where you get branch counter clerks trying to deny what is printed in black and white.

On Friday, November 20, I pick out of my letterbox (obviously delivered earlier in that day, because I clear my post box every day), a green Maltapost form telling me that on that day they had tried to deliver a letter packet at same address (and presumably failed).

The same form also gives me four options for collecting the item - all obviously ones available independently of each other because each one of them ends with an "or" followed by a semi-colon - one of which alternatives reads: "The following day from your nearest MaltaPost branch indicated overleaf or;". And on the back of the form the list of offices includes the one in my home town Birkirkara.

On Saturday, November 21, at around 9.30 a.m., I call to pick up said item from that office, and immediately the counter clerk embarks on a longish explanation trying to convince me that to collect the item I had to ring up here or there, or go pick it up from Qormi head office, or have it delivered by courier, or what-ever.

Now if Saturday is not the day after Friday, and as such - while duly following their own words on their own form - I was not entitled to expect to find the said item at that branch office, then what were they saying in their form? "We're only pulling your leg... this is not what we mean". Or is my comprehension of simple English and Maltese that bad?!