CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — On Monday, News 5 introduced you to Hank Kornblut, who has been among the many Northeast Ohioans waiting on deliveries from FedEx.
"We're at 2.5 weeks on something that's supposed to take two days," said Kornblut. "Fine, they're busy, it's the holidays it's supposed to take a third day but no one seems to know what's going on."
He thought last Friday was going to be the day.
"Friday, they were supposed to come, and then they sent me a note that they had tried to deliver, which was impossible because we were here and the store was open, and no one came," he said.
One of the reasons he wanted to make sure he was physically in the shop Monday when we stopped by.
"They sent me a notification this morning via email saying that there would be a delivery today that should be between 9:40 a.m. and 1:40 p.m."
As we were talking in his South Taylor shop, Kornblut shouted, "I can't make this up, there's FedEx," pointing to the delivery truck that had stopped outside his store, but as he waited for the driver to come in, they pulled off.
RELATED: Customers express frustration over FedEx delivery delays as holidays approach
"Where's he going?" he said. He went outside shouting for him to stop, but he was not out of earshot.
"It's entirely possible we're going to get an email now saying they attempted delivery," he said.
He didn't get that but rather an alert that the package would be delivered the next day, another for the next, and one more for Thursday.
"I'm sure there are thousands of people that are getting the same email telling them their package is on the way and the way, and it isn't showing up," said Kornblut as he waited. He takes it all in stride because while it's a headache, it's an order of hats he had custom-made, nothing perishable or truly urgent.
"The worst issue for me is that I am deprived of an item that people might come in and get at Christmas or that they've already ordered and that they want."
Then, once again, just before noon, the FedEx truck appeared. Could it be finally after two-and-a-half weeks? But as the driver got off, he walked past Kornblut's door. It was literally for the business next door. When I explained the situation, the driver double-checked his truck. The driver said he knows it's frustrating for customers because he's been on the receiving end.
"I'm, like, it's not my fault. I'm just a driver, I don't work for FedEx I work for a contractor that's got a contract with FedEx," he said. "I done got cussed out. They want me to call the other drivers and try to get there [packages], I'm like I can't do that; I don't have their numbers, like, I can't call the other drivers to see where your package is at."
Now, since this story aired Monday, we've heard from literally hundreds of you in similar boats, including one early Thursday.
"I've had packages stuck miles from my home for weeks and [I'm] wondering what else we can do as truly helpless customers," the emailer wrote. "This is kids Christmas gifts and hundreds of dollars of items which seem to have vanished," they wrote, adding they now feel stuck without gifts or the money to replace them.
News 5 forwarded that email in its entirety to FedEx in my request for answers. As we wait to hear back, I can share that they told News 5 earlier this week that "we sincerely regret any inconvenience caused by delays in the Cleveland area and appreciate our customers' patience as we implement contingencies - including securing additional delivery resources, extending operation hours and delivery times, and expanding package sorts to deliver these packages as quickly as possible."
In the meantime, Kornblut waits.
"It's tragedy and comedy at the same time," he said.
