Confessions of an Ex-Mailman

Neal Simon of Hornell, New York's The Evening Tribune writes about his time as a mail carrier.

Simon pens, "There is something that has to be said right off the bat. I was a lousy mailman, no ifs, ands or buts about it. My sorting was slow. My delivery inconsistent. My paperwork slipshod. My system for cataloging packages unworkable. I started my day when the sun rose, and had barely finished by the time the street lights came on."

He goes on to say, "What was the most difficult part of the job? The route was not easy. It was approximately 90 miles long, with about 300 to 350 stops. The route took me into the backwoods of Allegany County, N.Y. These motor vehicle paths had limited shoulders, big craters and overgrowth that obscured many a box. I may have done better on a horse. And keep in mind, I never did get to experience the route in real crazy weather. Rain and overpowering wind, yes. Snow and sleet, no.

Simon says, "... co-workers could not have been more helpful. The same goes for the people and animals on my route. Yes, I heard plenty of barking dogs, but I never heard a cross word from a mail customer or felt the bite of an angry canine.

"So in conclusion, to all my customers whose mail I mangled, lost or delivered three days late, I'm sincerely sorry. Of course, none of this would have happened if you had a post office box."

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