With the Christmas season upon us, The Pony has been working overtime. It gets dark around 5:00, and he's been out a few nights until 8:00. Of course I worry about him! If only my parental helicopter was not up on blocks, I might fly over and shine a searchlight for him to make his way.
The Pony sent me a short video a couple days ago that nearly put me into a panic. Good thing it was after the fact, and I watched it in broad daylight. I won't show it here, because there's a bit of profanity included. It's the view The Pony had while behind the wheel of his postal vehicle, driving after dark to deliver the mail. First you see the dark highway and some business signs, as you would while motoring along. And then THE HEADLIGHTS GO OFF! Then come back on. Then go off again!
The Pony's voice-over is this: "Watch the headlights. I'm not touching the button. They're just doing this. Seriously! What the BLANK? This is a BLANKING death trap!"
I didn't ask questions, because he was already at work the next day. In his own vehicle! Because they didn't have another one, The Pony volunteered to drive his own car. He was just delivering packages. His vehicle is not right-hand drive like the postal vehicles. So he couldn't do a mounted route and put mail in mailboxes. He had to wait for higher-up approval for the use of his own car that day. Yes, he will get paid for the mileage in his personal vehicle.
Anyhoo... on Saturday evening around 6:00, The Pony had another near-mishap whle once again delivering in the dark, on a walking route.
"Half an hour to 45 minutes left before I'm done. A car practically tried to back over me. Literally, it switched the direction it was backing and gunned it. I jumped out of the way and it still bumped my satchel."
"Dang! Where?"
"A block up from Dad's old house."
"Do you have a reflector?"
"Yes."
"Kinda hard to miss that right behind you and walking up as you get in the car."
"People are crazy."
I was relieve when The Pony told me he clocked out at 7:00. It's a jungle out there. A dark, mailman-thirsty jungle.
That is too scary for a mother to hear!
ReplyDeleteI can't decide which event was worse!
DeleteThat "Gloom of night" is worse than rain, sleet and snow and heat!
ReplyDeleteI think so! At least The Pony had customers who pushed his LLV (Long Life Vehicle) out of a snowbank, and me to bring him a cold Coke when he almost succumbed to the heat on a walking route, and avoided being under the tree that fell during a heavy rain. I guess he only has sleet left to worry about to complete his quintfecta of close calls.
DeleteI shall keep him in my thoughts until the dark and crazy season is over. Perhaps he needs a glow-in-the-dark suit. Or he could string himself with battery powered Christmas Lights.
ReplyDeleteThe Pony and I thank you for the thoughts. He has an orange vest with silver reflective tape, but I'm not sure he was wearing it outside his jacket. You'd think the blinding headlamp would suffice. I like the thought of Christmas lights, but The Pony might tangle himself!
DeleteI felt the same way about HeWho being on the interstate to tow cars. I bought a roll of reflective tape and made sure his coat and pant legs had lots of it on him! Maybe Santa will add a roll of reflective tape to that stocking!!
ReplyDeleteHopefully The Pony would not get it tangled in his long flowing curls!
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