Not just a postman

[willymagic]

Had a really weird morning today while out delivering, first of course the bloody weather was awful but then i delivered to this one address where the lady was just about to get in to her car when she suddenly came across all strange and pointed to her garden, her cat had died there and then in her bush, she was really upset as you can imagine, she asked me to pick her cat up and take it through to her back garden, it was so stiff and even i felt funny carrying it, turned out he was 16 and she had been calling for him all morning, she was really upset i didnt know what to do! anyhow it just got me thinking what other strange activities have you encountered out on your round??

[krussel]

Well nothing quite like that. Did climb in a couple of windows when I was a bit younger to open the door for folk that had locked themselves out. The last time I did it I got my shoe caught in the net curtains and pulled the whole thing down. Not good.

[Puppetmaster]

Nice Story about the Cat and sad as well .good on you for helping her,She had the cat for 16 years ,part of the family!

[dejavu]

Ended up changing tyres for some old dears on my round when theyve had punctures. Once I heard a right rackit as a car went past with a woman completely oblivious that she was driving round on a flat tyre. I caught up to her and told her, she was all flustered then not knowing how to change the tyre. So I changed it for her, then a day later she dropped of a cake that she had made for me to say thanks.

[Dogs of War]

Sad story, you should of give her a hug then you would have been a real top man at christmas time.

[Exrep]

Deja you lucky sod home made cake.

An old war veteran i used to deliver to came out one morning looking rather confused.

So i asked him what was up and he said his phone wasnt working but had been earlier, any ways pops into his house checks the plug which has came out .
Plugged it back in checked the line told him it was working the joy on his face made my day and got me through a crap delivery.

[POSTMAN]

A few months back i helped a blind woman sort her bins out that the bin men had just put anywhere,she had about 5 and some of them had to go in her kitchen.

[Big Daz]

Helped a elderly gentleman last week get sat into his armchair, his wife came out and asked for my help. He had slipped somewhat in his armchair and couldnt sit up straight without help.

[peejay14]

There's decreasing time these days to do much else other than deliver the basic service, but as mail volumes dwindle we will have to find something else to do, something that will save our very jobs.

But as for extra-postal activities, I know a guy in our office who reputedly collects customer's messages on his way past the local corner store, and he's got one of the longest walks in the office, a rural walk (I suppose he's helping out a few house-bound old grannies). I've done his walk a few times myself, and encountered at least a couple of disappointed looking old dears. He's been off a couple of weeks, and his stand-in was also off sick today

As for myself, I occasionally give a lift in my own car to an old fella who otherwise takes 1 hour each-way using a zimmer frame to go to the shop to collect his bread, milk, paper and bottle of vodka, even in the rain, and across a road with apparently no speed limit. He lives alone in a house big enough for 10, not that I don't hope he doesn't think of me in his will, or anything.

And a guy in his 50's once pulled up along side me in his car in the street as I was delivering, and asked me to change a bulb in a rear light on his car. I'd never done such a thing, but the request was so bizare that I persevered. It was an old Rover saloon, about 10-12 years old, and turned out that you could access the fittings through a flap in the boot. Still a bit tricky though. Also turned out that the bulb was faulty, though not without swapping around bulbs did I find that one out. No half-measures.

I think that the 'Postie' is just one of the few remaining trusted figures around on our streets.

[smarterdarter]

Had to sort a 90 year old's telly out, she had pressed the mute button by mistake
and wondered why there was no sound
All in a days work
No pussy there though

[krussel]

Not long after i started i used to cover a round with an old folks home. I remember one day very near christmas and bitterly cold i saw an old lady standing outside just around the corner from the home in just a thin nightie . She was shaking with the cold and very confused saying she was waiting for someone called George. I realised she must have come from the old folks home so i took off my jacket put it around her shoulders and slowly walked her back inside. They were quite relieved as they had been looking for her for.

It turned out that she had grown increasingly restless waiting for her only son to pick her up and take her home for christmas so had wandered off outside to meet him. They explained to me that he had been killed on his motorbike 5 years ago and the poor old girl could not accept it and waited for him every year to come and fetch her. Bit sad really.

[rhino49]

I collect talking books for posting from blind residents in my walk to save them struggling to the postbox. I've relit boilers, changed light bulbs and bizarrely once killed a blackbird for an old lady that a cat had left alive but in pieces on her porch - messy but as I had kept pigeons for many years I knew how to do it quickly. Royal Mail would prefer us not to be involved with our customers as it takes time from their computerised forecasts (which are bollox anyway) but I would give my own time for my customers who not only look out for me but look after me. I am part of my community and very proud of that even if the business I work for doesn't care - I do.

[clashcityrocker]

I once was asked in to a flat to kill a spider in the bedroom of an arachnophobe.

[dejavu]

Royal Mail would prefer us not to be involved with our customers as it takes time from their computerised forecasts (which are bollox anyway) but I would give my own time for my customers who not only look out for me but look after me. I am part of my community and very proud of that even if the business I work for doesn't care - I do.

[jaylime]

I have had to reverse cars for old ladys on farm tracks,help a woman whos gearbox had blown.Numerous keys in front doors,helped a farmer round up some sheep that had got out.And finally serviced a young housewife a few times I just wait for the call.Its great in the country.