popgun Posted December 15, 2006 Report Share Posted December 15, 2006 A Most Thoughtful Gift: Christmas comes around every year, and gifts are always a big part of the celebration. I, like everyone, have received many gifts over the years that I have actually forgotten about, or at the very least, have forgotten who gave them to me, but gift one in particular will always stand out in my memory. I delivered the mail every day, in the same little town, on the same route for over thirty years, and became very attached to my customers. I watched families get started and end in divorce, as well as observed the Happily Ever-after Marriages grow and prosper. I watched the little kids grow from children to young men and women and on into adulthood. I watched those same children marry and have children of their own. Thirty years is a long time; and at the same time it is a blink of the eye. One of these children, Emily Dawn, met me at the mailbox every day that school was out, and Christmas was her favorite time of the year. She loved to get her parents mail and sometimes a Christmas card addressed directly to her. I watched her grow from the little girl writing her letter to Santa, into a very pretty young lady that just graduated from high school. She had just received a promotion to manager of the Heritage Inn located in a larger town about 25 miles away, and she commuted back and forth to her new job in her little 94 Ford Probe. On December 12, 1997 Emily Dawn, age 18, did not make it home. A trucker noticed her car upside down in a creek on the west side of the freeway. No one knows what caused her car to go out of control that evening. The autopsy showed that she had survived the roll-over crash, but had probably drowned while she was unconscious. That Christmas of 1997 was especially tough on her whole family. A few weeks after Christmas her stepfather met me at his mailbox and told me that she had bought a lot of gifts just before her death, and that they were just starting to sort and distribute them to the intended recipients. He handed me the Postal Jeep that is in this photo, and asked me if I would accept it. He told me that Emily Dawn had found it in a flea-market a few weeks before she was killed and had thought of me. That evening when I returned to the Post Office, I was met by our Postmaster, who was a real stickler for regulations, nosey, and was an honest to goodness thorn in the side of every employee. He told me that I could not accept the gift, and had to return it unless I had a note from Emily Dawn’s stepfather that it was worth no monetary value. I knew that by regulations I was not allowed to accept gifts or gratuities, but thought that under the circumstances that I should be allowed an exception. I was wrong. The Postmaster’s supervisor in Little Rock upheld the local Postmaster’s decision, and I was ordered to return the gift or produce a note. About three days later, and with a heavy burden on my heart, I stopped at the Merritt household after work. I explained the situation to Emily Dawn’s stepfather. With tears in his eyes and mine, he wrote me a note that said the precious gift from Emily Dawn was worthless. Dedicated to Emily Dawn Merritt, 9/28/79-12/12/97 Just one more of God’s beautiful angels ….popgun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Finn Posted December 15, 2006 Report Share Posted December 15, 2006 Re: Best Christmas Present: That is a beautiful gift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VermontHunter Posted December 15, 2006 Report Share Posted December 15, 2006 Re: Best Christmas Present: Dang,, popgun if that doesn't bring a tear to the eyes of people they haven't a heart beating in thier chest... Thanks, for posting that story.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCH Posted December 15, 2006 Report Share Posted December 15, 2006 Re: Best Christmas Present: "They ought to put warning labels on them sad country songs..." Great story, popgun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted December 15, 2006 Report Share Posted December 15, 2006 Re: Best Christmas Present: [ QUOTE ] Dang,, popgun if that doesn't bring a tear to the eyes of people they haven't a heart beating in thier chest... Thanks, for posting that story.... [/ QUOTE ] I'm not afraid to say that it brought a tear to my eye. Thank you for sharing with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest outdoorgirl Posted December 15, 2006 Report Share Posted December 15, 2006 Re: Best Christmas Present: [ QUOTE ] Dang,, popgun if that doesn't bring a tear to the eyes of people they haven't a heart beating in thier chest... Thanks, for posting that story.... [/ QUOTE ] What a beautiful gift and story popgun . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archerjg Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 Re: Best Christmas Present: Great story and great gift. Archerjg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 Re: Best Christmas Present: glad i'm not the only one with a tear in my eye. worthless, my foot. you have an invaluable treasure. so did emily's family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowtechsWife Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 Re: Best Christmas Present: what a great story... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slugshooter Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 Re: Best Christmas Present: Great story popgun. It's sad that some people can't look past regs in some circumstances. I wouldn't have even thought twice about letting you keep it. I could understand if it was an extravagant gift or something. Those are the types of gifts that you treasure forever, and are truly PRICELESS!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoyt03 Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 Re: Best Christmas Present: great story, very sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowJoe Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 Re: Best Christmas Present: Some people check their brains with their luggage man. Sorry for pain but greatful for the memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowJoe Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 Re: Best Christmas Present: The best Christmas gift I have ever or will ever get came a few days before Christmas last year. My wife and I found out we were haveing a baby and along came bouncing Emileigh Jane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preacherman Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 Re: Best Christmas Present: Thanks for sharing Popgun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJR Posted December 17, 2006 Report Share Posted December 17, 2006 Re: Best Christmas Present: That Popgun, is a story and gift of a lifetime! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianxt Posted December 17, 2006 Report Share Posted December 17, 2006 Re: Best Christmas Present: Great story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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