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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1977
IT IS BY NO MEANS AN EASY TASK, BUT MR. YICK HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR 25 YEARS.
MR. YICK, WHO JOINED THE POST OFFICE AT THE AGE OF 24 SAID: +MA IL DELIVERY IN THOSE DAYS COVERED SEVERAL AREAS, BUT I CARRIED LESS POSTAL ITEMS THEN AND WAS NOT BOTHERED BY THE TRAFFIC.
+SOMETIMES, I EMPTIED MY MAIL BAG JUST BY WALK ING FROM ONE ROOF TOP TO ANOTHER AS THE BUILDINGS WERE CONNECTED AT THE ROOF TOPS.+
HE EXPLAINED THAT LETTER BOXES ON THE GROUND FLOOR WERE UNCOMMON IN THE 1950S- THERE WERE NO LIFTS AND HE HAD TO CLIMB FLIGHTS OF STAIRS, SOMETIMES BY GROPING THEIR WAY BECAUSE OF POOR LIGHTING, TO DELIVER THE LETTERS.
ON THE SURFACE, NO QUALIFICATION SEEMS TO BE NECESSARY TO BE A GOOD POSTMAN, SAVE A THICK SOLE AND A BROAD SHOULDER.
BUT THE 700 POSTMEN IN HONG KONG WOULD DISAGREE. ACCORDING TO MR. YICK, THERE ARE TWO MORE QUAL IF ICATIONS WHICH STAND OUT PROMINENTLY - ALERTNESS AND GOOD MEMORY.
+WHAT WOULD YOU DO WHEN CHASED BY DOGS IN RURAL AREAS OR WHEN HELD UP BY ROBBERS DURING MAIL DELIVERY?+ HE ASKED.
+WHEN FACED BY SUCH UNEXPECTED EVENTS, YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP YOUR WITS AND STAY COOL, HE SUGGESTED.
+GOOD MEMORY WILL HELP YOU TO DELIVER LETTERS TO THE RIGHT ADDRESS SHOULD IT OR THE NAME ON THE ENVELOPE BE INSUFFICIENT OR INCORRECT. +
BUT THERE IS MORE TO IT THAN MEETS THE EYE.
APART FROM THE IR ROUTINE DUTY, POSTMEN MAY BE ASKED TO READ LETTERS FOR THE ILLITERATE, OR TO SHOW THEM HOW TO SIGN THE RECE IPT SLIP OF A REGISTERED LETTER.
THE LOT OF THE POSTMEN IS SOMEWHAT BETTER TODAY.
THERE ARE LIFTS IN THE BUILDINGS, LETTER BOXES ARE WELL PLACED, AND BEST OF ALL, THEIR WALK UNDER THE SUN HAS BEEN CUT DOWN BECAUSE OF HIGH RISE TENEMENT BUILDINGS, WHICH ALSO REDUCE THE IR GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE.
BUT WHAT IS THE MOST SATISFYING PART OF THE JOB?
MR. YICK REPLIED: +WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE IS EXPECTING YOUR ARRIVAL ANXIOUSLY, YOU REALISE HOW IMPORTANT YOU ARE, AND THIS IS VERY SATISFYING. +
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