Postie Paisley packs it in after 25 years

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Paul Paisley wanted to go out first class.

So the letter carrier walked his route Thursday in a black tuxedo, complete with a top hat, to deliver his last letter. Tied to his back was a large sandwich board breaking his career down by the numbers — he's spent 25 years on the job, delivered more than 3,000 tonnes of mail and worn out over 75 pairs of shoes.

"In my 25 years, I've finished my route every day to completion, no matter what the conditions were," he said. "It's my proudest accomplishment."

Paisley ambles along Parnell St., his feet ache and an old leg injury from high school has been acting up lately. But the pain fades when neighbours come out of their homes to congratulate him. Others honk their horns as they drive by, rolling down the window to wish him well.

The 60-year-old is unmarried but feels right at home on his route. He's been on it for a little over three years, after spending most of his career working all over the city on vacation fill-ins. He's now a fixture in this quiet north St. Catharines neighbourhood.

"I've been here for four births and five deaths," he said, adding he's gotten to know everyone on the route well and the deaths hit him hard.

"It was tragic and it was touching. I went to all of the funerals."

Paisley said he could name all of the people on his route, and their dogs, too. He's never had a run-in with any of the pooches on this route, but over the years he says he is living proof the age-old battle between postman and dog is alive and well.

"There was a day I got bitten by the same dog twice," he said. "I came around the corner, looked down, and there he was chewing on my pant leg again. That was embarrassing."

Paisley was even bitten by a man once as he filled in for another carrier on vacation.

The man had approached him, looking impatiently for a piece of mail. Before Paisley could look in his mailbag for the letter, the man chomped down on his thumb.

"I had to hit him twice to get loose," he said.

But on the whole, Paisley has few regrets about his career with the postal service. He tried to get a job with Canada Post for close to nine years before finally landing a vacation fill-in gig. He loves the freedom and the exercise he gets every day.

"Now it will be up to me to maintain my fitness level," he said.

Neighbourhood residents are going to miss him, said Kristen Dalton, who has been one of Paisley's customers for three years. She said his trademark beard and bubbly personality have earned him a lot of praise.

"He's super friendly, he's super caring. He's always got a smile on his face. He's always got a story to tell."

Dalton isn't surprised to hear Paisley has mixed it up with a few dogs in his day.

"He attracts every dog's attention in the neighbourhood. When he walks down the street, it's like an orchestra."

Dalton said her children especially love to chat with Paisley. Every time they see him, they have to say hello, she said.

"Even my kids, if we're driving around and see him they yell, 'There's Paul, honk the horn.'"

Paisley said he's looking forward to retirement. He'll start to sleep in a little and explore some hobbies he's been too tired to tackle at night after work, like coaching and television production.

He said over the years, he has always tried to give customers the "warm fuzzies" by being kind and saying positive things. Sometimes, all it takes is one positive chat at the door to make someone's day, he said. And Paisley said his best days on the job were the days when the favour was returned.

"Sometimes what people forget, especially corporations, is that money isn't always the reason we do our jobs," he said. "We do it for self-satisfaction and to get complimented on a job well done."

[DGP1]

he's spent 25 years on the job, delivered more than 3,000 tonnes of mail and worn out over 75 pairs of shoes.

How is he getting 3 pairs of shoes per year and 3,000 tonnes, does that include D2Ds which only became mail at the last agreement

"In my 25 years, I've finished my route every day to completion, no matter what the conditions were," he said. "It's my proudest accomplishment."

Managers must've loved him, sure boss, I'll get it done no matter what else I have planned for the day.

The 60-year-old is unmarried but feels right at home on his route