Small Town Post Office

As some of you know, we live in (well, near) a small town...3-4 thousand...that actually grows quite a bit during good weather, weekends and holidays! :). Which I actually love btw. Anyways, it is very convenient here to use a post office instead of getting mail at home. Which we have used all the time we've been here, which is going on 12 years (with a 2 year break somewhere in there...Bellingham..)
The end of June our box rental was due. I got the slip right before my trip sometime in the middle of June. I noticed it, and thought, 'I will have J pay it while I am gone' and then immediately forgot.
When I got home I remembered, but was only in town during the 4th holiday and then I was gone again for the following week. Yesterday was the first chance I had to go in and pay for my box...and collect over a weeks worth of mail. I went up to the lady and told her I was there to pay, she checked on the computer, asked what my last name was with a puzzled look on her face....and told me we were late and our old box had been rented out! Amazed, I said 'ok...well....is there any way I can get my mail?'....'no, it's been sent back!'
I said.....'hmmm, well, I guess I need to rent a new box, but then I remembered our work box. We'd thought about combining the two, so I guess this was as good as any to do that. So, I told her I would do that. I left feeling very weird...I had a new address. well kindof. I knew I was late, but it seemed the post office didn't leave much room for error. Less than a month from when the notice came out to our mailbox rented to someone else and our mail being returned. Technically I was only 11 days late. Oh well, I WAS late.....and I remembered I COULD have mailed the payment in, I didn't have to go to the window...but I always did go to the window. I was busy and distracted and always planned on paying.
After I left, I realized I probably should have done a change of address thing, so my mail wouldn't keep being returned. I thought about going back in, but was in a hurry and still in a bit of shock. The lady at the window had acted kindof wierd....so...I didn't really want to face her again. and I was a little embarrassed. you know.
Later I went in looking for the change of address slip and realized I could do it online...so tried that last night..and it wouldn't work. personal family address going to a business address.
So, today we went into the post office. J was going to go to the window and do the change of address and I was going to check our other box and mail some stuff. We walked in and the lady from yesterday noticed us right away and pointing to me said, 'hey! your box isn't 1924! It's 924! ' we said, 'Yes?' and she said...'last night around 7, it hit me....her box is 924! we have your mail. You still have your box...yesterday you told me 1924!' I am pretty sure I didn't tell her 1924, but I don't care. she knows my box number! and realized the mistake...and made it right. I LOVED that! I knew when I was talking to her the day before that she seemed out of sorts with it all. confused...like I was...but it didn't click with her what was wrong, until quite a few hours later.
so, we still have our old box and address. I don't know why we didn't just keep it moved over, and save $30 a year...except that new addresses are a pain.
I do love living in a small town, though.