Dana
Morris. (Where's your hat, Dana?) Dana was delivering a mounted
route and it was pretty easy to tell he was getting H_O_T. How could you
not, when temperatures are over 100 degrees and the humidity is in the 90s?
Dana is a 16-year veteran with the US Postal Service. I asked Dana what
tips he might have for staying cool in this kind of heat. He said he uses
a "soaker" (you know, the little "wet snake-like" goodies that you can buy at
Wal-Mart, or Target). He soaks it in cool water about every 30 minutes and
then keeps it around his neck. Dana is single and in his spare time
(what's that?) he likes to get out and hike. Isn't that a little like
being a glutton for punishment?
Debbie
Thahim has been a carrier since 1996 and was a clerk before actually carrying
mail. Debbie uses a wet towel to help her keep cool during those hot days.
That, and lots of W-A-T-E-R. Debbie is married and is a mom to a 2
1/2-year-old little girl. When I asked her what kind of activities or
hobbies she had she started by saying bowling, then gave me that "look" like,
"You didn't hear the first part? I'm a mom of a 1 1/2-year-old little
girl." Yeah, I get it, Debbie. That's more than a hobby! Good
luck, Debbie. We hope you can find the time to get out of the street and
into the alley again soon.
Mike
(Monty) Hall has been with the USPS since 1972 after a 4-year stretch in the
Navy. Monty is married and all the kids are out of the nest. Monty
is a T-6 or T-7 or whatever they call themselves these days. You're apt to
find Monty almost anywhere in Oildale delivering one of his routes and parts of
others on any given day. Monty keeps cool by soaking a washrag in an ice
chest full of ice water...........burrrrrrrrrrr..... By the end of
the day, though, most of that ice water has turn tepid if not downright hot.
I think I got there just in time to deliver a little relief in the form of a
soda and a bottle of water. Monty's "fun time" is spent playing golf.
Funny how one can go from being chased all day by customers, kids, and dogs, to
actually chasing something yourself..............like a little white ball.
Yolanda
Agredano is a hard workin' little gremlin out of Oildale who started out working
as a clerk/carrier. Yolanda is a single mom who is the mother to a little
8-year-old girl (oh yeah, and a puppy - I didn't forget that, Yolanda).
How does she cool off? Drinking! Water, that is..... and a soda now
and then. In her spare time I understand Yolanda spends a lot of time
dancing on table-tops at various Postal functions..............no no no.... only
kidding..... Yolanda is taking Mexican Folk Dancing lessons. Imagine
having that much left over at the end of the day. I know most of us would
rather just go home and sit where it's quiet and cool. You go girl........
Rick
Plummer. Who is that guy anyway? A special thanks to those of
you who let me steal a minute of your time, a smile, and a little advice for
keeping cool.