Unwanted Jobs.

Because I'm a newspaper deliverer while I wait for my dream job of teaching, I have a soft spot in my heart for those with unwanted jobs.  Almost every morning on my paper route, I fight for road space with a garbage truck.  More accurately, the truck and my car fall all over themselves to get out of each others' way.  They get up as early as I do, and drive around the city looking for trash that's out.  While the Buena Vista trash folks often miss our trash, the Lexington trash folks seem to never miss anything.  Would it make any difference if BV's trash collection were on the street where everybody could see it?  I think so, but the bigger issue is the type of men (and women, if there are any female trash collectors) that do the job.  Judging by their driving, Lexington's trash collectors are honestly trying to do a good job and stay out of people's way.

From what I've seen, newspaper delivery men and women are similar.  While there are those that do a horrific job of their craft, most are genuinely good men and women who are trying to put food on their tables and make people happy.  Numbers of people have changed how I deliver their paper, from having me put their paper in their driveway to on their porch to one lady who has me put the paper on a flower pot on her porch.  Let's be honest: the hours for my job stink.  I don't want to be a morning person.  Nevertheless, I force myself to get up before 3 every morning, and this morning I woke before 2.  I'm willing to bet some of you haven't even gone to bed when I start my day!  That said, I'm not just doing this for money.  I really try to meet my customers' needs.  Occasionally, it's nice to be appreciated.

A few weeks back, Virginia was one of a few states hit with a derecho.  It did a lot of damage, and while Buena Vista wasn't hit very hard, Lexington was.  I was a new delivery guy in Lexington when it hit.  My kids were terrified, and I calmed them with the soothing words "has wind ever hurt you before?"  When I went out that morning, I wasn't expecting to find the destruction that I encountered.  There were a lot of major roads in Lexington that were down.  I had to piece together my route, walking much of it.  While I did, a number of people were incredibly nice to me.  One talked to me about my goals and the reasons for my newspaper route.  Another frankly forgave my late delivery at the end of the route.  "I'm impressed that you're here today; I didn't expect to get a paper today."  Delivering newspapers is my job, but it's really nice to be appreciated.  I go out of my way to make sure those customers are treated special. 

Another customer has emailed me support.  The fact that he has gone so far out of his way for me makes me feel great.  He didn't have to email me.  He didn't have to say a word.  But he did.  After being nice in email, he asked if I would put his paper on his porch.  If he wasn't nice, I would still do it.  Because he was so nice to me, I try to make sure his paper is where he can get it when he gets out his door, and not randomly placed on his porch.

There are lots of others that are incredibly nice to me and my family and don't get paid for it.  At church, for example, I think my kids' teachers are mostly wonderful.  I'm grateful for the example that they give to my children.  I fear I won't always have such an example to show them, but I hope I will.  I try to have my children thank their teachers as often as I can, but fear that their thanks aren't enough.  These people bend over backward for my family (let alone other families), and ought to get more credit.

Lots of jobs that most of us find distasteful are filled by good men and women.  How often do we thank them for a job well done?  It might not mean much to us to thank them, but as one of them, it means the world to us.