THE WOES OF A LAZY DELIVERY DRIVER

Ever depend on some service only to find the driver of that service's truck is too lazy (or perhaps lacks to incentive) to take the "challenge" of a winter's weather? Happens here every winter. Living on the shoreline means having a driveway with a downward slope. And, granted, it is a long driveway. But it gets plowed. Especially if this writer needs to get out or a delivery is expected. For sure if there is more than a dusting of snow.

On the other hand, there is the inevitable contribution at the edge of the driveway left by the DOT plow as it cleans up the Maine Road, otherwise known as Route 9. If that mound is significant, either the family plow/plower will come back and clean it out or I trudge up the driveway (or drive up) with a shovel and clean it up. But most of the time my car and others drive through it so many times the mound becomes worn down to nothing but crunched snow. Certainly easy enough for a large fuel truck to drive over - except when the truck is driven by a driver who would "rather not" it seems. And so it was this past week.

Having checked the driveway on Wednesday, in anticipation for a delivery on Thursday, I knew there was no ice that would require sanding (at a cost of approximately $60.00 this year). And the driveway had been plowed Monday. But when there was no delivery, I called Friday morning to be told that the driver had left his company a note stating he had not delivered the oil because "the driveway needed to be plowed and sanded."

The heat in this house is not because of anything this writer can be billed for this week. We'll see if Sunday and Monday's projected three inches of rain will clear the driveway to that driver's satisfaction. Maybe it's time to look for a heating oil company that is hiring drivers who actually do the job they're paid to do. At $350.00 a delivery, one would hope so.