After 28 years on the job, there isn’t much that surprises veteran U.S. Postal Service letter carrier Robert Armstrong. Having endured rain, sleet, snow, and the trials and tribulations of the age-old mail carrier vs. dog narrative, Armstrong has pretty much seen it all.
It’s when Black Friday purchases and Christmas cards begin to pile up that the unfazed letter carrier is shocked by the generosity of Vallejo residents.
As the holiday season rolls around, dynamics undoubtedly shift for postal service workers. There are the obvious ways, like “more packages than normal,” and as the temperatures drop, dealing “more with the elements,” says Armstrong.
But having to weather through chilly conditions and deliver while cargo nearly doubles in volume? Well, that’s all part of the job. Dog bites, too. Like the time he was “in a hilarious way” nipped in the calf on Christmas Eve, just 10 stops shy of his shift’s end. Again, as Armstrong will tell you, it’s a part of the job.
Recognition, however, isn’t always.
