40+ Years: Journal carrier decides to retire
EAST BEND (By Kim Underwood, Winston-Salem Journal) - Over the course of more than 40 years, Billy Joe Smith drove 1.4 million miles -- give or take a mile or two -- delivering the Winston-Salem Journal in Yadkin County.
One early morning last month, he tossed his final paper. As he drove, he kept thinking, "This is it. This is the last time."
He didn't see any of his customers. He wishes he had.
"If I could have seen them, I would have thanked them for all the years I got to serve them," he said.
Smith, 70, retired from his day job a few years back but had continued to deliver newspapers because he enjoyed it.
"I enjoyed it better than any job I ever had," he said. "Nobody out there but you."
And raccoons, rabbits and deer.
At one point, he delivered to about 800 subscribers.
"That was a job, especially on Sunday," he said.
One early morning last month, he tossed his final paper. As he drove, he kept thinking, "This is it. This is the last time."
He didn't see any of his customers. He wishes he had.
"If I could have seen them, I would have thanked them for all the years I got to serve them," he said.
Smith, 70, retired from his day job a few years back but had continued to deliver newspapers because he enjoyed it.
"I enjoyed it better than any job I ever had," he said. "Nobody out there but you."
And raccoons, rabbits and deer.
At one point, he delivered to about 800 subscribers.
"That was a job, especially on Sunday," he said.
posted by BP News Bureau | 12:00 PM
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