“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
The Postal Service has no official motto, but these words appear above the entrance to New York City Post Office on 8th Avenue. They come from Book 8, Paragraph 98, of The Persian Wars by Herodotus. During the wars between the Greeks and Persians (500-449 B.C.), the Persians operated a system of mounted postal couriers who served with great fidelity.
I know this because it says so on Google.
However, Google didn't acknowledge our local couriers, Ashley and Deb. Our mail is well distributed and delivered due in large part to the efforts of these energetic young ladies.
Often folks who staff our postal offices change. We'll be going along quite nicely for a while then suddenly, poof, a new person appears. Not sure why that happens. UPS does it too. Just getting to know Frank well enough to leave cookies and Henry makes our next delivery. Here on Southport, this can be a real crisis, especially during the summer when every alleyway, side road and trail becomes a new seasonal residence.
Enter postal Deb and Ash. As veterans, they get to know every Tom, Dick and Harriet, and who their cousins are and how long they will visit, and where they are from and what type of vehicle they drive.
Deb, our rural carrier knows. “She of the flashing taillights.” As one might imagine her ride gets hard use. Repairs are constant, vehicles change. But, bless her heart, she gets the mail delivered.
Ashley staffs the office and has gotten to know us all pretty well. She adjusts to the seasonal changes. But Ashley grew up here in the region, a Brown descendant. That helps. We run all sorts of stuff by her to keep her on her toes.
Give Deb a wave when you see her along the road flashing and seek counsel with Ashley at the front counter. Tis the season. Advice is free!