Richmond, CA — On Friday, November 29, 2019, Sales and Service Associate Kathy Hall will greet her last customer with the phrase, “May I help you, please.” On the day after Thanksgiving, Hall can say she has been blessed and truly thankful for her career with the Postal Service and her time at Mira Vista Finance Station at 12651 San Pablo Ave., in Richmond.

Hall remembers early in her career a customer came in with live birds to mail. It was the first time she had ever made such a transaction. While checking the container, Hall heard a voice say, “Let me out of here.” Shocked, she asked the customer, “Did your bird just say let me out?”

The customer laughed and said, “You must be hearing things.” She checked the box again, and heard the same, “Let me out of here.” Hall, laughed and said she didn’t think the Post Office allowed talking birds, and she would have to check.

The customer laughed again, and Hall asked “What’s so funny?” At that time the customer told her to look at the other counter where there was another customer with an exotic bird on his shoulder. The bird then piped up, “What’s so funny?” Hall erupted with laughter, “Okay, ya’ll got me!”

Hall says she will miss meeting, greeting and talking to all her customers, but not getting up at 4 a.m.

note: Kathy, a longtime APWU steward also survived an armed robbery several years ago.