Jobs: Confessions of a Pony Express Courier #1

When the Hyundai was first introduced in American, it was one of the less expensive new cars on the market. Many people, (especially the more snobbish), considered, the "cheap" Hyundai to be another Yugo, that would soon disappear. At the time, I was a Pony Express Courier, and my route was the busy metropolitan area of down town Salt Lake City. It was a quick-paced, fast-witted reaction time route that none of the other drivers wanted, or could handle. I was the best... the Harry Tuttle of couriery, and everyone knew it. I knew all the tricks, shortcuts, bypasses, etc. I even used my skateboard on occasion. Parking was always an issue, but fortunately I had a friend from high school who worked as a meter attendant, and he told me that if he knew it was my van, (and Pony Express had many), he wouldn't issue a citation. After that I always took my Tooele High School lunch tray to work with me, and left it on the seat when I was away from the van. On one such occasion, I was parked on the street in front of one of the title companies, and as I exited the building, skipping along at a snappy pace, I noticed a very well dressed man, parked directly behind me, taking up a valuable prime time parking spot, and busily engaged wiping the minutest of dust particles from his sparkling new Mercedes Benz. His pompous demeanor was amusing to me at the time. He was so proud of his fancy new ride, and was basking in imaginary attention, when I cheerfully greeted him, saying, "Nice Hyundai, mister!" He looked back over his left shoulder, and sneered articulately... enunciating each word with unmistakable emphasis. "Its a Mercedes Benz." "Same difference," I said before jumping into the van.

I drove away so very pleased with myself. I could imagine how many times he'd tell the story about the dumb kid who thought his Mercedes was a Hyundai.

He who gets the last laugh is the last laugher laughing.