The waiting room conversation at the doctor's office had lulled when the postman began talking.
"I was going from post office to post office with deliveries. As I sped down the four-lane, I realized I was about to miss the exit. I made a quick turn across the right lane, cutting off a car as I headed down the exit ramp. It was close, but I made it without an accident."
"The guy I cut off did not see it that way. He made an abrupt right turn, following me. He honked, scowled and gesture. He followed me to the post office, stopping right behind me. I got out raised my hands and said, "Hey, man. I'm sorry I cut you off back there.. I shouldn't have, I just didn't want to miss my delivery."
"The guy said, 'I know people and I will get you,' then he sat there and waited until I finished the drop off and followed me when I left."
"The guy followed me from one town to the next to each post office." The postal worker listed the towns.
Stop after stop the car followed the mail truck until they reached The Town where the driver evidently knew someone. The city police pulled up beside the unlikely duo. The officer listened to the complaint about being cut off on the four-lane highway many miles away from The Town.
The police officer could not do anything for the still angry man.
The policeman called the county sheriff. He came, heard the angry guy's story and could not do anything.
The sheriff called the state police. The state police heard the story from the still, very angry driver. The officers talked it over and decided to call the area postal inspector.
The postal inspector arrived to see officers from the city, county and state. He looked at the postal driver and asked, "what happened?" The car driver again began his angry story about being cut off miles away. The postal inspector looked at the angry man about being cut off miles away. The postal inspector looked at him sharply and said, "I didn't ask you what happened."
He turned to the driver "Now tell me what happened."
"So I told him I had nearly missed my turn and had made an abrupt turn that cut off the car. He followed me until I stopped to make the next delivery. I got out and tried to apologize, but he said he knew people and from that point on he followed me around to all my stops until we got here and he called the city police."
"The postal inspector looked at the state officer. He pointed at the driver and said, 'I want him arrested for obstruction of a government operation."
"Man, you do not mess around with a postal inspector. Those guys are serious," the guy in the waiting room concluded just before he was called to go see the doctor.
He walked out leaving a stunned, thoughtful silence behind him.
Joan Hershberger is a writer for the News-Times. She may be reached at [email protected].