Our oldest grandson obtained his 1A license yesterday, which means he is qualified to drive a tuck like the one illustrated above. That brought back memories of when I worked in the Post Office in Moose Jaw almost fifty years ago.

Most of the time I worked the night shift, which was when most of the semi-trailer trucks came in. These trucks had to come down a narrow back alley with power poles along one side, pull into the loading area behind the Post Office , make a U-turn and back up to the loading dock. Chief (not very respectful, but that’s what indigenous men got called) came from Calgary. He came down the back alley geared down but full throttle, made the U-turn and backed up to the loading dock. The trailer was always square on to the loading dock with no gap to trip over when unloading. Pop came towards morning with a full load from Winnipeg; he drove more quietly and slowly, but he also got square to the loading dock the first time, every time.

Chief and Pop were the only 100% reliable drivers, none of the others could ever get square to the dock in those close confines. Occasionally a driver would make several attempts, but still leave an open angle between the trailer floor and the dock. We were thankful that those trucks never had large quantities of mail for us. None of us ever got hurt taking bags and packages out of those trailers, but the danger was there. Usually one of us would get into the trailer and throw stuff out to the others.

Extra truckers were called into service during the Christmas rush. I remember one who wouldn’t even venture into the alley. He looked it over and then decided to park in the street in front of the Post Office. We wheeled a cart out to the street and he handed the mail bags out to us from the side door of the trailer.