Christmas story
Page 26
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On page 13 Peter told of drivers whose average hourly rate is only £1.34 per hour and this drew a seasonal response from my "fertile, artistic mind". He reminded us that drivers are worse off on average, per hour, than employees in all other industries.
What did.1 see? A lone figure in threadbare coat bent against the howling winter gale and snow, struggling homeward to return to his wife and children late this Christmas Eve. The houses along the way twinkle with fairy lights and resound with the gay excited chatter of happy children.
Who is this man who fights against the elements clutching in his hand a scrawny elderly piece of poultry? Is he perchance a Class I HGV driver who only a few minutes before had returned from a 7,000-mile trip to the Middle East and was valiantly endeavouring, faithful husband and father, to be with the fam Christmas Eve?
No, that cannot be; much too pale, drawn anc gard, just to have returned the suns of Saudi Arabia.
Then perhaps he is a delivery driver who has sr long hard week deliv Christmas parcels to his fortunate brothers ba against not only the elei but the heavy city trafi glance at my watch tells rr could not be so. It has 10pm and the law prevE driver's boss working h long in any day.
Perhaps he was a mi liveryman carrying horn, Christmas box or perhaps h yoghurt and "gold top." C someone take advantage o milkman?
Can it be that he is a • bus driver who all day has ferrying shoppers in one ion with heavy wallets and other direction with pa boxes and bags, tinsel am and loads of Christmas go(
I dismiss this possibilr cause, surely, since he do' have to pay a fare, a coachman would ride 1
This poor soul obviously not have the fare.
As he passes beneath a lamp a passing lorry send: spray of dirty, wet E covering him from head t in brown, running wate stops and turns down the of his mac to dry his fac takes his handkerchief fro pocket and wipes the filth the bedraggled chicken a an instant recognition day% me. I know that face, weary drawn lines belo: eyes, the round shoulder the shuffling step.
He is not a Class I drive a van driver, not even a c man, but Bob Scratch& so-and-so's transport mar whose rate is less than £1. hour and who next year, him, will still be sitting b his transport manager's dt Merry Christmas all you