Conversation at the Thanksgiving Dinner table turned to how lucky The Pony is.
"I'm so glad you have your little house, so you're not wasting money on rent. Now it will be yours. And it's so close to work, you hardly spend any money on gas. No commute to waste time. Your job is secure, unless you start stealing mail! And you have insurance and retirement benefits. Plus, you're pretty much on your own. You don't have to deal with anyone. Just go in and get your stuff done. You can listen to music or podcasts while you're on a walking route. And if anybody wants to complain, they're probably not going to tell you to your face. They'll call the office!"
"I know. And when people want to talk to me, I have an easy way out. I just say, 'I really have to get back to delivering. I'm on a schedule.' So that ends it. But yeah, they don't complain to me. Just talk. Old ladies, mainly."
"You might be the high point of their day. Waiting for the mail to see if they get anything. And the added bonus of somebody to talk to."
"There's one old lady who must have had knee surgery, or hurt herself. She was on one of those scooter things."
"That's not a knee. More like an achilles tendon, or ankle injury."
"Anyway, her mailbox is by the road. Down a hill! So I've been carrying it to her, and she thanks me. She said next time she makes cookies, she'll put some in the mailbox for me."
"That's a sweet thing to do."
"There's another old lady who must have the fattest dog I've ever seen in my life. Next to Sparky, your Favorite Gambling Aunt's dog. This one's a chihuahua. She's always waiting by her door. I take the mail to her, too. I try to help, but I can't take too much time."
If I didn't know better, I might think The Pony is developing a slight case of caring about people.
Bless his heart. Our mail person delivers my packages on the second to the bottom step because I guess it's too much effort to go up 1 more, to put it on the top step so I can reach it without having to go outside. (2 bum knees, which I know you can understand) These aren't giant steps or lead up to a balcony or deck. Just 4 steps to the top one. We accommodate them (him/her) by removing the snow along side the steps in the winter, as they prefer to walk there and reach up to the mail box, rather than walk up the cleared, no ice, steps. Ranee
ReplyDeleteNo cookies for YOUR mail carrier! What an odd duck. I can't imagine the reasoning for the second-step package. As for shunning the no-ice steps... maybe they're afraid they could slip due to packed snow built up in their shoe treads? I have to be careful of that in our garage when I come home, after getting out at the mailboxes and crunching through the snow.
DeleteMaybe, didn't think of that, but there are a lot of older houses in this town with steps that lead to their mailboxes and no other access due to shrubs on both sides of stairs. Sometimes I think they are paying me back because we have had many days with many packages. It's not like we can choose what form of shipping these companies will use. I don't get that kind of sass from UPS. Just saying.
DeleteFedEx gives us the most problems, tossing items out in the driveway (checks that got run over by HOS (Hick's Oldest Son) when we asked him to check for a package, since they delivered two days EARLIER than their tracking stated. I got the notice of delivery while in Oklahoma! It was already dark by then, and HOS couldn't find the package. Lucky we saw it when we got home, and that the dogs hadn't chewed through the envelope!
DeletePost office won't come up here to delivery, since we're a mile up a gravel road. Now they have lock boxes beside Mailbox Row. UPS is better than FedEx, and usually puts packages on the porch. The lady who used to have this route would carry them to the back door, and set them on top of Juno's dog house. She always had treats she tossed to the dogs. They loved her!
Aww, he has a big heart, your Little Pony :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, it kind of surprises me. The Pony has never been a people person.
DeleteWe love our naulna & show him our appreciation every Xmas with lots of green in an envelope. I know they aren't suppose to take it,but who refuses cash?!? And he is really deserving - like Pony! I hope Pony receives some nice tips this holiday!
ReplyDeleteLast year he got cookies and candy and a gift card, while he was still just a CCA, doing different routes. This summer, he had people leave him frozen water bottles and sometimes gummi snacks. Once he got an orange, and once a tomato! He's happy with just a little card that shows he's appreciated.
DeleteWhat a sweet guy. He wants to help, but it is a commitment he is not ready to make?
ReplyDeleteThe Pony doesn't have the gift of gab like Hick. He's not a good small-talker. Taking mail to the door of an occasional house is fine, but he can't hang around. He also has to keep on schedule, or he'll get in trouble if he consistently goes over the time his route is supposed to take.
DeleteOur mail carrier got in trouble for bring the package to our door! She has to back down the drive and was told to never do it again! We have ordered a huge mailbox to replace the regular one that was here. UPS and Fed-X will both back down the drive and they will walk up the steps and open the door to the porch to put the package inside if it is raining. I hope the Pony gets a stocking full of appreciation!
ReplyDeleteAww. No good deed goes unpunished! I can't believe you have UPS and FedEx drivers who actually do their job. The Pony loves his treats. He did NOT love that Hick would help himself to the container left on the coffee table.
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