Off Topic (but there is a whistle in this story)
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Off Topic (but there is a whistle in this story)
Yesterday at work I received an email message from our Administrative Services Department saying:
"We’ve just been informed that the USPS truck which picked up our mail today was involved in an accident. The driver of the truck was unharmed, however, the truck was engulfed in flames and we lost all of our outgoing mail."
I thought, Wow! That doesn't happen every day...what a strange thing...and went about my business (I hadn't sent out any mail from work so I wasn't concerned).
As it happens, I was expecting a new Journeyman whistle from Gary Humphrey in the mail yesterday (you can probably see where this is going) and it didn't show up. Since it didn't get here yesterday, I figured it would certainly be here today, so I rushed home after work to see if it had arrived.
I opened my mailbox and a very strong burnt smell wafted out. Inside was a plastic bag full of burnt (most almost completely consumed by fire) mail and a letter. The letter said:
"Dear Valued Postal Customer,
We regret to inform you that an accidental vehicle fire led to the loss of all mail that was destined for delivery to your address on Thursday, March 23, 2006. We were able to recover and recognize some fragments and in those cases the items will be delivered to you for your review."
Lucky me (or so I usually think) lives only a few blocks down the road from work. Unfortunately, in this case, it meant that mail being DELIVERED to my house was in the truck that was engulfed in flames the day before!
I called the number on the letter from the post office and, after explaining what a penny/tin whistle was and what it was made of (Delrin and aluminum), I was informed that the fire got so hot that even metal melted and that IF the whistle was in that delivery, there was likely nothing left.
I don't know yet if the whistle was in that delivery...it was insured so if it doesn't show up in the next day or two I should be able to find out if it was scanned for delivery that day.
I'll keep you posted on the end of the story.
-Brett
"We’ve just been informed that the USPS truck which picked up our mail today was involved in an accident. The driver of the truck was unharmed, however, the truck was engulfed in flames and we lost all of our outgoing mail."
I thought, Wow! That doesn't happen every day...what a strange thing...and went about my business (I hadn't sent out any mail from work so I wasn't concerned).
As it happens, I was expecting a new Journeyman whistle from Gary Humphrey in the mail yesterday (you can probably see where this is going) and it didn't show up. Since it didn't get here yesterday, I figured it would certainly be here today, so I rushed home after work to see if it had arrived.
I opened my mailbox and a very strong burnt smell wafted out. Inside was a plastic bag full of burnt (most almost completely consumed by fire) mail and a letter. The letter said:
"Dear Valued Postal Customer,
We regret to inform you that an accidental vehicle fire led to the loss of all mail that was destined for delivery to your address on Thursday, March 23, 2006. We were able to recover and recognize some fragments and in those cases the items will be delivered to you for your review."
Lucky me (or so I usually think) lives only a few blocks down the road from work. Unfortunately, in this case, it meant that mail being DELIVERED to my house was in the truck that was engulfed in flames the day before!
I called the number on the letter from the post office and, after explaining what a penny/tin whistle was and what it was made of (Delrin and aluminum), I was informed that the fire got so hot that even metal melted and that IF the whistle was in that delivery, there was likely nothing left.
I don't know yet if the whistle was in that delivery...it was insured so if it doesn't show up in the next day or two I should be able to find out if it was scanned for delivery that day.
I'll keep you posted on the end of the story.
-Brett
- michael_coleman
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- Tell us something.: I play the first flute Jon Cochran ever made but haven't been very active on the board the last 9-10 years. Life happens I guess...I owned a keyed M&E flute for a while and I kind of miss it.
- Location: Nottingham, England
So, how did the truck fire start? Could it be the truck driver opened Brett's whistle, attempted a third octave A and lit the truck on fire? Dale should probably cut short his birthday party to investigate this possiblility.
The Walrus
What would a wild walrus whistle if a walrus could whistle wild?
The second mouse may get the cheese but the presentation leaves a lot to be desired.
What would a wild walrus whistle if a walrus could whistle wild?
The second mouse may get the cheese but the presentation leaves a lot to be desired.
I can do better than that. Just send me an expensive whistle and I'll melt it with a blowtorch for you. Hey, I'm here to help, and if you want a cool whistle story...it's the least I can do.monkey587 wrote:You, too, can engulf your whistle in flames! Just paypal me $15 and I'll send directions...michael_coleman wrote:I wish I had a really cool whistle story like this....
Brett, here's hoping Gary's whistle still gets there in the next day or two.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which is least known--Montaigne
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark. The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light
--Plato
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark. The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light
--Plato
- anniemcu
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Re: Off Topic (but there is a whistle in this story)
well ... even if it was so hot that metal melted, they were able to discern that something addressed to you had been in there... perhaps there is hope after all.... or maybe it was just a bill... or your tax refund, or...
anniemcu
---
"You are what you do, not what you claim to believe." -Gene A. Statler
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"Olé to you, none-the-less!" - Elizabeth Gilbert
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http://www.sassafrassgrove.com
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"You are what you do, not what you claim to believe." -Gene A. Statler
---
"Olé to you, none-the-less!" - Elizabeth Gilbert
---
http://www.sassafrassgrove.com
- D4rksh0gun
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if it was that hot, how in the hell did they "discern" his stuff? they probrably just scooped some wreakage in a bag, sent it to him, and said "OH YEA, this is all thats left, no metal survived, but we happened to find some paper with your name on it!" horay postal service...
I reject your reality and subsitute my own!
i think the best way to kill someone is a whistle to the face in a bar fight! and i dont even DRINK!
BTW, Rehab is for QUITTERS!
i think the best way to kill someone is a whistle to the face in a bar fight! and i dont even DRINK!
BTW, Rehab is for QUITTERS!
- D4rksh0gun
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- Cynth
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Okay, so now I'm wondering what was the mail that they delivered fragments of to your house? I hope it wasn't the last notice that you were in some long lost relative's will or something!
I'm glad your whistle got there okay!
I'm glad your whistle got there okay!
Diligentia maximum etiam mediocris ingeni subsidium. ~ Diligence is a very great help even to a mediocre intelligence.----Seneca
- michael_coleman
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- Tell us something.: I play the first flute Jon Cochran ever made but haven't been very active on the board the last 9-10 years. Life happens I guess...I owned a keyed M&E flute for a while and I kind of miss it.
- Location: Nottingham, England