For those who know and love Robert, you may appreciate this. Retirement is usually a very dignified if not stuffy occasion. You have your tributes (everyone is great when they retire or die). You have your awards. You have your retirement parties with all your colleagues. Well, most of you may do this-but not Robert. He wanted to do it his way.
First off he would not confirm which day would be his last. Some thought it was today, some thought it was in two weeks, some thought it was next year. What's a party planner to do! Next he said NO PARTY!!! Frustrating to the designated party planner, poem writer and general razzes. Then about a week ago, every afternoon when he clocked out he would rip off is shirt like the hulk and discard it in the trash can at the P.O. for all to witness. Buttons and fabric flying everywhere! Then he would exit in his holy undergarments for home.
Finally the last day arrived. This is a little history to appreciate the story In Salt Lake City it is dang hot to be a mail man. 100 degree weather is no fun to walk in everyday. Tucked in shirts soon become sweaty and uncomfortable. So, many of the carriers untuck their shirts to let whatever breeze there may be cool them. Now my Robert seems to attract attention. Especially around insecure authority. His supervisor told him in a very unkind tone to tuck in his shirt. He said that post office regulations only allowed a square cut shirt tail. So my guy-not to be insubordinate-took out his pocket knife and with much flair cut off the bottom of his shirt to make it a squared shirt bottom. It was something that his fellow carriers remember well.
So, yesterday he took that mangled shirt and signed his name on it with red permanent marker. When he left he hung it over the stall where he parks his mail jeep.
I think he went out 'his way'.
