Hi all,
Just got in after another day at the salt mine, and read the posts regarding
shipping. I and just about everyone I know utilizes UPS, and tonight things
happened that made me step back and think. I figure I'll share.
I work as the parts man/service writer/mechanic at a small motorcycle shop
specializing in Harley Davidsons, and I see my UPS man "Jim" daily. He's a
ball of energy, and always has a kind word and a smile while he's bustling
in and out bringing my customers bundles of joy and happiness. He also
brings me parts for my '59 Chevy and makes an effort to find out if I'm at
the shop or at home when he's got an extra special package for me. Really a
nice guy! I think maybe most of us know someone like "Jim".
It's been relatively warm in the southeast this week, and Jim made his
normal rounds about 11:00 this morning. All was well, though the heat index
was pushing the 100 mark. Jim bustled around and was his jovial self, and
went on his merry way. This evening about 6:30 Jim's truck pulled into the
lot. It was very strange, as Jim rarely misses a package on the morning
run, and I wasn't expecting anything else. Jim kind of staggered into the
shop, and then collapsed. He appeared to be having a heart attack. 911
responded quickly, and whisked him off to the nearest hospital. While
helping put him on the stretcher, I asked his phone number so that I could
call his wife, and with great difficulty he gave me a number. I dialed it
and to my shock and surprise, I got the UPS office. He's having a heart
attack and what was foremost on his mind? His Job! His Duty! His
responsibilities to the Boss! While relaying information on what had just
occurred, I realized that after all this time, I didn't even know his last
name... (So where do I rate on a scale of 1-10 in "Humanity"???)
The hospital says that he's stable and suffering from heat stroke and a mild
heart attack. I'll visit first thing in the morning. The moral here is
obvious I think, and you can bet I'll seriously work on improving my grade
in "Humanity". Shame it takes something like this to wake you up.
Introduce yourself proper to these behind the scenes folks that make life
better for us all. It just may be too late when you finally think about it.
Kevin P.
'59 Apache 38/NAPCO
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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