Bob

Batz

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August 21, 2009

Where Have You Gone, Jim Dodt?

Our favorite mail carrier retired recently. Jim Dodt wasn’t special because of the neat things he slipped into our mailbox six days a week.

Things like bills and magazines filled with color photos of goofy ceramic lawn ornaments and bills and invitations to free pork chop dinners sponsored by so-called retirement investment counselors and bills and discount coupons from fast-food restaurants and bills.

Jim Dodt was special because of the way he delivered mail.

Winter, summer, spring and fall he always showed up at our place with a bounce in his step and a smile as big as Texas on his face. He was never too much in a hurry to chit-chat for moment or two, either.

Dodt, who started his career as Christmas help in 1975, has lugged the mail in our town in all kinds of weather for nearly 35 years.

My first wife Sally and I have had dozens of mail carriers during our 46 years of wedded bliss.

And then along came Jim Dodt.

You see, toting the mail in sleet and snow and on August afternoons when the temperature outside is pushing 100 degrees wasn’t exactly one of my “dream jobs” when I was a young man.  It was right up there . . . no . . . better make that right down there with trapeze artist, coal miner, astronaut and deep-sea diver.

I wasn’t too hot on the idea of becoming a professional boxer or a ballet dancer either.

But Jim made carrying the mail look like a barrel of fun six days a week and in all kinds of weather. Jim and I never had any lengthy, two-hour conversations or anything like that. Most days, it was a quick and friendly swapping of “hellos” or a few comments about the weather or some other topic.

Another thing about Jim is that over the years he delivered more to our front door than just bills and such. Lots of times he also brought us precious pieces of mail, like Christmas, birthday and anniversary cards from our children, letters from long-lost friends and relatives, retirement checks and some really swell fishing magazines. 

Like I said, Jim Dodt has called it a career. And we’re already missing him.

Contact Bob at bbatz@woh.rr.com   

© 2009 North Star Writers Group. May not be republished without permission.

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