With the recent weather trends, The Pony has been having occasional difficulties getting through the work day. There was the time he got stuck in the snow, and some residents helped free his official post office vehicle. Another time he had to call for a tow, and discovered the driver was a former classmate. Last week, he got stuck again, but no help came to the rescue. After 20 minute of rockin' (nobody came a-knockin') his van, he managed to free himself.
Monday, The Pony once again got stuck. This time, it was personal.
When he arrived home, Hick asked if he'd had a hard day. The Pony held up Exhibit A:
That's a black leather New Balance. Not a faux suede Hush Puppy knockoff. The Pony found himself mired in a mudhole. He managed to extricate himself without help. I have a feeling it was not easy.
You know who cleaned up that shoe, right? Someone who will NOT be on call for such duties at Pony House. At first, I thought I could scrape off the dried mud with an old toothbrush. Nope. That stuff was clingy. It emitted a fine powder, but the main dirt stuck to the shoe. I had to use wet paper towels to soak it off. The shoestrings will never be the same. I did not take them out to wash with Exhibit B...
Exhibit B was The Pony's postal uniform pants. Only one leg got stuck in the mud. And not the whole leg. It washed out clean as a whistle with a little TIDE on the "heavy" cycle. Along with the sock that was in that shoe and pants leg.
The Pony said he must not have noticed a flat rock that had some sleet still clinging to it. He slipped off into the meltwater soil next to it, and took a while to get his foot free.
"I'm glad you got out!"
"I'm glad I didn't break THIS ankle. This is my only unbroken limb!" Said The Pony, survivor of last July's broken left ankle, and two broken elbows in 2nd and 7th grade.
That is one muddy shoe. After this, might he keep a pair of galoshes in the truck for situations like this?
ReplyDeleteHe bought some shoe cover thingies when he first started working there. Might have worn them in the rain. I don't know if it occurred to him on the melting days. Maybe he needs the non-slip soles, which failed him anyway.
DeleteI've been known to hold my New Balance sneakers under a running tap while I scrub at them with an old nail brush, then I leave them to dry overnight. Which happens in our dry Australian weather. In winter they might take a couple of days, but then I don't have to go out to work, so it isn't a problem. And they never get as deeply mudded as The Pony's. Does he have spare shoes he can wear? I also hope he never breaks the "mint condition" ankle.
ReplyDeleteI thought of scrubbing them in the sink, but knew they would take forever to dry. The weather has warmed up to the 70s, and neither the furnace nor air conditioner are running to put them on the vent overnight.
DeleteThe Pony DOES have another pair of shoes that he wore the next day. The ankle-breakers! The shoes so worn out that they're the reason I bought him this pair just before Christmas.
Yes, we want to preserve the last unbroken limb!
Just read the above comment by PP. I agree a deeply treaded pair of rubber knee length boots might be a good idea.
ReplyDeleteThey would be good for a short time, on a muddy route, but I don't think The Pony could wear them for a 12-hour day without injury.
DeleteAnd he doesn't have time to be changing shoes. He doesn't even take a lunch break, just grabs something to eat on his 10-minute bathroom break at a convenience store.
DeleteJust be happy he was able to keep the shoe on his foot as he pulled it out, I wonder how many shoes and boots are in holes in the campground for the new owners to discover.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's a plus! It would be hard to finish the route with one shoe!
DeleteYou should charge extra for any footwear they find, since it wasn't written into your agreement...
I should! Bev, the b-word, is all a tither because she forgot to add the seasonal tenant rent owed to them at the closing. She disdained my handwritten spreadsheet and proceeded to make her own. She approved it herself and shorted them $3000, but she neglected to pay her own amount of rent owed to us ($105). Doesn't quite make up for the $100,000, but I will take it!
ReplyDeleteHer mistake, her loss! I mean THE BUYER'S loss. Bev even came out $105 ahead!
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