Mail workers took a break with Beatles

Ray Bell of Hartselle recalls the night that his dad watched the Beatles sip tea and didn’t even ask for autographs.

“I grew up in Carlisle, England, on the Scottish border, and Dad sorted mail at the post office,” Ray told Ronnie Thomas. “The Beatles were in concert in a building next door. To avoid the crush of screaming girls, they slipped into the post office through a side door.”

Ray’s dad told him that he and about 20 other workers were on break, some eating, some playing dominoes, and in walked the Beatles.

“He said they went over to a table and drank tea,” Ray recalled. “Later, one postman drove a decoy truck and another drove the Beatles away in another truck.”

Ray told his dad he couldn’t believe he didn’t ask for autographs.

“He said that he nor any of his fellow workers wanted to bother them,” Ray said. “They just let them be.”

“Dad might have phoned me,” he said. “But we didn’t have a phone.”

One judge to another

Incoming Morgan County Probate Judge Greg Cain did what the average person would do when going to a new job. Recently he was seen with outgoing Probate Judge Bobby Day in a courtroom, Sheryl Marsh reports.

They were chatting. Greg explained that he was getting “words of wisdom” and experience from the man who held the job for three decades.

Great place to meet

Members of the Priceville Town Council reaped the benefits of staging Thursday’s council meeting in the Priceville Elementary School gymnasium.

The school’s hospitality committee provided council members and their wives, along with other town officials, dinner in the library.

Pupils offered what Ronnie describes as top-notch entertainment.

Led by Choir Director Connie Pearson, fourth- and fifth-graders sang patriotic songs. Then physical education teachers Pat Kilgore and Wendi Johnson led third-, fourth- and fifth-graders in square dancing.

Meeting humor quorum

Having gone nearly a month between City Council meetings, Decatur officials started the new year on a humorous note.

Chris Paschenko overheard Deputy Police Chief Ken Collier giving Fire Chief Charlie Johnson the business.

“How come all the elevators have to have printed instructions for firefighters?” Ken asked. “You’d think they’d know how to operate one.”

Charlie joked that some firefighters were just beginning to read and write.

Snow on the Internet

Maybe Mary Walker of Loveland, Colo., has a solution for Southerners who crave snow.

Mary, who has been through two major snowstorms this winter, sold three snowballs through eBay to Chris Hansen of Milford, Conn., which is having a warm winter.

Chris’ daughters, ages 12, 14 and 16, wanted snow, and his $200 bid topped about 100 others, according to The Associated Press.

Mary had intended it all as a joke, but Chris insisted she take his money. Now she has to figure out how to get the snowballs to him before they melt.

Send stories for You Don’t Say to steve@decaturdaily.com, or call Weekend Editor Steve Stewart at 340-2444. Or write P.O. Box 2213, Decatur, AL 35609. Daily staff members contribute many of the items you see here. This column appears Sundays and Wednesdays.

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