A woman who spent 48 years wondering why an application for her dream job was never answered has finally found out why.
Tizi Hodson, 70, from Gedney Hill in Lincolnshire, could not believe her eyes when she opened the post to discover her original letter applying for a job as a motorcycle stunt rider, sent in January 1976, had been stuck behind a post office drawer all these years.
Despite it getting lost in the post, the setback did not hamper her daredevil career as she found a job that took her all over the world.
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At the top of the letter is a handwritten note that reads: “Late delivery by Staines Post Office. Found behind a draw [sic]. Only about 50 years late.”
Ms Hodson doesn’t know who returned the letter, or how it even found its way to her.
“How they found me when I’ve moved house 50-odd times, and even moved countries four or five times, is a mystery,” she said.
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"Every day I looked for my post but there was nothing there and I was so disappointed because I really, really, wanted to be a stunt rider on a motorcycle.”
Luckily for Ms Hodson, the silence following her application did not put her off from trying for other jobs.
She moved to Africa, worked as a snake handler and horse whisperer, learned to fly and became an aerobatic pilot and flying instructor.
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Looking back at the letter she sent when she was just starting out, Ms Hodson said: “I was very careful not to let people who were advertising for a stunt rider know that I was female, or I thought I would have had no chance of even getting an interview.
“I even stupidly told them I didn’t mind how many bones I might break as I was used to it.
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“If I could speak to my younger self, I would tell her to go and do everything I’ve done. I’ve had such a wonderful time in life, even if I have broken a few bones.”
Postal workers are a special kind of crazy. In a good way. They never give up, NEVER! They might be late sometimes, but they NEVER give up.
Facts and I love their dedication. On year I had ordered some books online and the seller did not do a good job packing them. The box broke open and all of the books fell out so I was left with disappointment and an empty box. Now the postal service could have just given up and said it’s up to the seller to make it right. But a day or 2 later I got a box from USPS and it was most of the books! They had found the invoice in the wreckage and since it had the contents and my address, they gathered up all of the books they could find, properly packed them in a box, and sent them off to me. I was so impressed with the care they put into their jobs, postal workers are the best.
Meanwhile, the postal workers handling packages and mail that I regularly receive from parts of Ohio and Mississippi are frequently opening it up and extracting what they find to be of value.
Can’t say they’re not giving your mail lots of personal care and attention
Indeed, one of the impressive things is they found her at all given her globe trotting.
She sounds great - I bet she’s got a few stories to tell.
Moist von Lipwig - Postmaster General
Betcha he would have had something uncomplimentary to say about this delayed letter.
This lady sounds so interesting, I bet she’d be a blast to hang out with!
I read the whole thing waiting to hear if she got the job or not. Where’s that hard hitting journalism I need??
That’s what I thought when I first read it.
Then I figured it out - the letter was returned to her - it never reached the company she was applying to.
It’s not that I feel dumb now, just not as smart as I used to.
It was stuck behind a Post Office drawer for nearly 50 years, so it never arrived.
Doh, thought it was the return from the company.
Well shit, get this to them STAT! Maybe she’ll have a new job soon. Tons more experience at this point.
Did the Post Office at least refund her postage? It’s the least they could do.
The lady is waaay more interesting than the letter. Holy shit, what a life!
Seems a good cleaning every decade could be a good thing in the post office…
