Bad aim

When I first started my paper route my aim was horrid! I was constantly having to go move papers out of flowerbeds and off steps. But after two months my aim has actually improved a bit.

However, this morning I landed my first paper on a roof. Gah! I get an extra paper every day - I suppose this is one of the reasons it could come in handy. After watching the paper sail (in slow motion, mind you) onto the roof, I just stood there running scenarios through my mind. I could leave it and use my extra paper, or attempt to retrieve it. I didn't want to just leave it there for several reasons.
1) There was an interesting article on the front page that I wanted to read.
2) Tuan reads through the extra copy when he gets home from work. He would definitely wonder where the x-tra paper was.
3) The owners would inevitably find the paper either on their roof or in their gutter an know what happened - talk about embarrassing!

So - for all of these admittedly vain and selfish reasons, I decided to try my darnedest to get that paper off of that roof!

I first searched futilely for a branch or stick to help me. What a joke! I quickly realized I would never find one among the immaculately groomed lawns that make up my route. So I walked the short distance home and found a longish stick near our slightly less immaculate apartment complex. I hurried inside and grabbed our two-step step stool. Armed with my tools I began walking back to the house with the offending paper perched on the roof. As I walked, a car turned onto the road. I silently pleaded with them to not notice me with my baggy pants, over sized fleece, bed-head and stick/step stool burden. To my horror he pulled up beside me and rolled down his window. Who stops for directions at 5 in the morninbg anyway? Well, he did not want directions. He asked if I was their paper carrier. "yes", I answered with trepidation whilst racking my brain for any possible offenses to their lawn, home or paper delivery that I could e guilty of. "Well, you are the best paper carrier I have ever had! It's always on time and right there when I open the door". I was very flattered and quite relieved. I hope they had no idea what I was doing with that step stool!

Oh - I did get the paper down. The article wasn't that interesting after all. And Tuan reads this blog, so he will know about my undignified paper rescue regardless. And while that particular customer has no idea I was fishing for papers on their roof, another surely thinks I'm a kook.

*sigh*