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Butch Furse
While vacationing and visiting our oldest son in Minnesota, we came across an interesting story in a neighboring small town. The tale involved a postal patron and a rural mail carrier who both went beyond the lines of duties to carry through the postal service’s motto, “Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” In this case it was “heat” that was the culprit.
As the female carrier began her early morning six-hour-plus rural route she was quickly sidetracked when a broken water hose on her car caused her car to overheat. She ventured to a home where a retired resident in his pajamas was preparing for his usual big breakfast of eggs, bacon, juice, etc.
He offered to loan her his car to continue with her route, but his auto’s floor stick shift would be in the way preventing her from sliding across the driver’s side of the front seat to the passenger side to place the mail in adjacent mail boxes along her route. Without hesitation he then said he would drive his car on her delivery route while she handled the carload of mail.
After deliveries, the two were relating their experience which exemplified their dedication to making sure all her patrons got the mail in a timely fashion.
We drew a smile when we viewed their story that was picked up by media. The postal carrier expressed her appreciation for him helping her.
However, the exceeding helpful retired home owner drew the biggest laugh when he commented about his six-hour commitment and then added, “Boy, with the length of that route I am glad I didn’t have time to drink my breakfast prune juice before embarking.”
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Communities strive to be noted nationally for recognition of unique aspects no other communities have. Sometimes, the search appears to get carried too far. Here’s an example:
Orlando, Fla., declares to be the sweatiest city in the nation. The designation was made on the number of days above 100 degrees; population density; the availability of air conditioning and bodies of water to cool down.
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The best sense of humor is that which tells you what is not safe to laugh at.
RL Furse is publisher emeritus of the News-Register
