A Postman's View of Corning,NY: I'm a real mailman.

     I had been on the job for only a few weeks and I finally got to carry on my own. I only covered the carriers' day off so, to remember things from one week to the next was hard. At the cases the carriers use colored plugs to tell whether a customer was on vacation, had a forward or to let you now they have a P.O. box. I had pulled the route down on my own but, forgot to take out a letter for a P.O. box customer. When I approached this customers house I didn't realize that this house didn't get delivered, I got on to the porch and didn't see a mailbox. So, I knocked on the door to see if they were home so I could ask them if they had a mailbox, so I knew where to deliver next time. A woman opens the door and she gives me a funny look. Here I am in regular clothes a postal cap and satchel(since we don't get a uniform until after ninety days). I asked her if she had a mailbox that wasn't visible and I had a letter for her. She looked a little worried, took the letter and said"Your not a real mailman are you??" I just looked at her and smiled, a part of me wanted to tell her in my Pinocchio voice real loud. " I'M A REAL MAILMAN!!!"
      A few weeks had passed and I was carrying the same route but, I haven't got to the same ladies neighborhood yet and I was way across town. A car pulls up and this same customer, hands me a letter and says" you put this in my mailbox today and I told you I have a P.O. box! Please do not make this mistake again!" I took the letter,said "sorry" and went on my way. I get back to the office to take my lunch and explained the two situations to the postmaster. She said that the woman isn't all there and she will sometimes take other peoples letters and return them saying they were in her box. I said " she doesn't have a mail box." and she looks at me and smiles to kind of say without words "I know."