Postmaster/Retiree Editorials

 Reprinted with permission from Hawaii League Website:

The Postmaster

He still gets up at 5:30, but doesn’t move as fast as he used to. It’s a special day for him today but somehow he doesn’t feel the way he thought he would.   He’s already thinking about the day that is now underway at the office so he calls to see how things are going and hears the usual news that comes with the morning operation.  He offers advice based on many years of experience.  He showers quickly and skips breakfast so he can get to work and somehow avert disaster once again.  Even more shorthanded than usual he quickly formulates a plan to overcome the early roadblocks caused by his suppliers who cannot provide him with a decent and consistent product.  Despite all of his efforts to motivate his superiors to correct this problem he is told to “stop making excuses” and “get the job done.”  So he no longer complains and instead finds creative solutions to overcome the poor performance of his suppliers - because this is what he does.   

As he crosses the work area he sees “Ellen” who just returned from having her first baby.  He stops for a moment to ask how she is and to wish her well.  Only a very few people know that this is a special day for him, he does not want anyone to know.    He finally makes it to his office and dutifully reads all of his emails.   He deletes the duplicate ones he received from different sources and begins to answer the ones marked “ACTION REQUIRED.”  These emails can be from anyone since there is no protocol that dictates who has the authority to require his response and so he must answer to everyone who makes a request.  The emails tell him that he is on a “list” and he is “deficient”, and most of the emails point out that which he already knows.  All of the emails come early in the day so that the senders of the emails can move on about their day having accomplished their most important task of informing him of the obvious.  Time has changed the “support departments”.  In the past these departments were staffed with employees with tested field experience who would offer varied solutions to problems and even come to the office if necessary to “HELP” and “ASSIST” instead of merely pointing out a potential problem that anyone who uses a computer could easily accomplish.  He accepts this as “today’s environment” and realizes that “management by email” and “management by list” are here to stay. He dutifully answers all of his “ACTION ITEMS” - because this is what he does. 

He remembers being detailed to higher level positions at various times during his career, but in the end he would compromise neither his beliefs nor his integrity and always returned to his “real job” for he new that it was his first best destiny and he accepted it with honor and respect.    He worked last week until 9:00 PM each night to perform the necessary upgrades to the retail equipment because there is no longer field support from the IT department.  He completed the recent round of training for his supervisors and craft employees including all of the documentation.  Training is his responsibility now since the training department no longer does this.  He also just completed all of the personnel actions involving moving employees to correct job numbers, breaking the non-career employees at the proper time, certifying uniform allowance requirements, and removing employees from the rolls who resigned.  Since the personnel department no longer exists this is now his responsibility.  He is confident, however, that if he missed or forgot something he will receive an email reminding him of his failure.  He was warned to “improve” the attendance in his unit.  His superiors only look at the numbers on a computer program, he must look into the faces of the people in his unit like “Mary” whose mother has Alzheimer’s disease that is sucking the life out of her, or “Joe” whose son was just diagnosed with autism and whose wife cannot handle the burden alone, or “Susan” a single mom who comes to work everyday but is losing her battle against Parkinson’s disease and can’t make 8 hours anymore.  He often finds her in the break room crying because she can’t afford to go home again today because she can’t pay the bills.  He’s been there when his employee’s get “the call” that a loved one just passed away, a child got hurt at school, or a spouse was in an accident.  He has attended many funerals and visited many hospitals to comfort and console his employees.  He both understands and shows compassion although he is never the recipient of it.  He always finds a way to patch things together to complete the task at hand while taking care of everyone except himself - because this is what he does. 

He is called to the phone and is directed to join a conference call to “review” the previous day’s performance.  He joins the conference and is repeatedly questioned about “deficiencies” in performance and he is told if he doesn’t improve immediately he will be on a list that can only have dire consequences.  Although he could explain the myriad of reasons that led to the circumstances and sub-par performance the day before, he instead accepts responsibility for it and promises to make immediate improvements – because this is what he does. 

He is feeling guilty today because he missed the first half of his granddaughter’s soccer game last night; he did not see her score the goal of which she was so proud.  He was leaving work last night in time to see the whole game but on his way out the door he saw a package that was dropped off by a neighboring office.  A customer called that day inquiring about this package.  The package was a birthday present for the grandson of the caller who sounded so disappointed that it had not arrived; so he delivered it before going home even though it delayed him and kept him from his granddaughter’s game – because this is what he does.

He has worked so many Saturday’s this past year he can’t remember when he last had a Saturday off.  He doesn’t get paid nor does he take a day off during the week because he must cover his supervisors on their days off because he is no longer allowed to bring them in – even though they don’t receive overtime when they work on their day off.   He appreciates and values his supervisors and always remembers to thank them for their hard work and extra efforts.  He has mentored, coached, and protected them over the years and they repay him with loyalty and dedication that is above and beyond expectations.  He cannot remember the last time that anyone told him that he had done well or the last time anyone said thank you to him for a job well done. He remembers when there were installation ceremonies for people selected for his position; he remembers taking an oath to which he has dedicated his life.  Now he often hears his superiors use the phrase “we need a body” in this office or that office.  He cringes at the thought of being referred to in such an impersonal manner.  He is no longer valued by his organization. He is expendable.  Dignity and respect are often spoken of but rarely practiced.   He doesn’t complain – because this is what he does.

He is just about to tackle the day’s mail and paperwork when he gets an emergency call from a colleague in a neighboring office where an accident just occurred. His colleague cannot leave the office because he is the only manager there – so he agrees to conduct the accident investigation even though he knows that he will have to stay in his own office much later than he planned.  He remembers the week previous when he was “directed” to attend an “accident review”.  One of his employees was stung by a bee which only required a band aid.  The paperwork generated from this incident took several hours to complete and placed him on a “list” to attend the meeting.  He dutifully drove an hour to the District Office to attend a 30 minute meeting regarding the bee sting and then drove the hour back to his office.  This process is somehow aimed at accident reduction through the belief that by intimidating and inconveniencing the managers of the employees involved, the accident rate will decrease.  He follows procedure – because this is what he does.  He returns to his office to find his supervisor in a panic because 2 employees called in and reported that their vehicles broke down.  He knows that there are no spare vehicles and the vehicle maintenance people will not get there in time so he has the supervisor follow him to the first employee and loans his own car to that employee to complete his work.  They drive to the second employee and instruct him to walk back and forth to the vehicle until they can find him help.    He returns to the office and now must “call in” to another telecon to explain why he will have employees out past the “cutoff” time.  He will be on yet another “list” because of this.  He makes the call and accepts responsibility – because this is what he does.

He once again remembers that this is a special day for him but the thought quickly fades as he sees a member of the District “review team” walk through the back door.  The “review team” was established to show up at offices unannounced and look for “irregularities” and “non-compliance” with various District policies.  On this particular day the review team member announces that he found a “SLEEPER” in a particular area which now must be blamed on someone.  In addition, as one of the employees enters the rear door after finishing their assignment the employee goes to the water fountain before checking in because it was 90 degrees that day – the review team member announces that this employee “failed to follow proper procedure upon return to the office.”  These failures will now be put in a report and shared with the entire District in the hopes that public embarrassment will somehow serve as a motivating factor.  He isn’t angry and thanks the review team member for pointing out his deficiencies knowing that he will be on another “list” because his superiors will use this as “proof” that he is not paying attention to his operation.  He will address these minor issues – because this is what he does.

It is now almost 6:00 PM and he has yet to open the day’s mail and finish his administrative duties.  He allows his close out employee go home because he figures he may as well close himself since he will be there late again.  He completes all of his work and at the end of the day the office is in surprisingly good condition with all of his paperwork up to date and filed in meticulous fashion.  He already took most of his personal items home last week and now gets up from his desk to remove the last of the photo’s and mementos that he accumulated over 38 years.  He takes a final look at the emails that ruled his life for so many years and logs off for the last time.  He takes a final look around the office that holds so many memories of better days and he smiles as he recalls some of them.  He checks the entire office before setting the alarm as he has done so many times.  As he crosses the floor for the last time he stops to pick up a rubber band so no one will trip on it the following day.  He always gave 100% without anyone having to ask – because this is what he does. 

He leaves a note on the supervisors desk letting him know that he will leave his keys in the collection box in front of the office.  What started out as a temporary job became a career and a lifetime commitment.  His only hope is that in the end he “made a difference” and touched the lives of those around him in a positive way.  He feels the emotion welling up inside of him but he refuses to break down.  He checks the door one last time and drops the keys in the box and drives away.  You see, this special day was his last day on the job.  He wanted no party, no cake, no long good-bys, and no empty messages from those who pretend to suddenly care about him and appreciate him.  He needs none of that.  He takes with him the 5 digit Zip Code that is burned into his soul. He tended to it for years as his prized possession and it will remain with him forever.  Although now retired, he is and always shall remain “The Postmaster.”  

Francis Iannucci

Postmaster