SHOVEL YOUR SNOW
There was a guy named Atkinson, worked at one of the radio stations, and lived on Bruce Parmenter's route -- over near the DownTowner Motel. He appeared at my General Delivery window one horrible winter day, and said, "My mailman didn't leave my mail today." I got his name and address and went back to the carrier's desk. There was the mail, and I took it up to the customer.
This happened a couple of times more, and on one occasion there was a note from the carrier supervisor, Don Seaman, asking that he be notified. I called Seaman, and he took the mail to the customer at my window. I listened to the conversation, and learned that Skip wasn't delivering the mail because the man wasn't shoveling his sidewalk and steps.
Seaman told the man the reason, and told him he would have to shovel the snow.
The customer (Atkinson) said, "I don't shovel snow. I"ll just come down here and pick up my mail."
Seaman said, "No, you won't. I am instructing your carrier to return your mail if the steps aren't cleared."
I learned from Skip Parmenter a few days later that all the snow was gone.
DON'T GET YOUR CARRIER MAD
Postal regulations require a piece of mail to have a full, complete address. When a warm-blooded sorting clerk at the Post Office sorts the mail, this requirement can often be circumvented. Before privatization in 1970, a clerk did not need the address for major industries in Greater Muskegon. Nor did they need the address for many doctors and lawyers. Even Leonard Kooiman on Terrace Street could get delivery without a full, complete address.
Al Currie knew the requirements for delivery, and for 95% of his customers in the Hackley Bank Building, circumventing applied.
But one lawyer in particular got Al mad at him. And a letter came in one day without the correct room number. There was no doubt the letter could have, should have, been delivered. But Al was mad. He returned the letter to the sender.
Now the lawyer was mad. And the lawyer was a good friend of Postmaster, W. B. Steele. The lawyer paid a visit to the PM, with the returned envelope. Together they came downstairs and confronted carrier #11, Al Currie.
Al took the envelope and studied it.
"It hasn't got a complete address," Al said.
|
|
