Nov2013_DAYBORO POST OFFICE – CHANGES AFOOT

Have you noticed that the For Sale sign in front of the Post Office has disappeared?  That’s because the freehold and business have been sold.  Aghh! I’ve become so used to the routine of arriving about 9am with my books to post and mountains of cheques to collect that I’d never given a thought to the fact that Devin and Gloria might like to move on. 

For those who know Gloria she is a quick-witted cheeky larrikin with a heart of gold. And when Devin can get a word in, he is the master of the dry one liner.  If ever you’ve entered the PO a little unhappy well you won’t be when you come out.

You might imagine that a 9am-5pm job like theirs would be pretty cushy bearing in mind that both of them are always there in attendance to spread the workload and wonder why they are looking for a change of scenery

Try this.  At 4am Gloria and Devin travel to Brendale and back to collect the mail and work all day till 5pm.  Devin then does the round trip to Brendale arriving back by 6pm after delivering the mail to Brendale.  Say, about 14 hours each, every day.  Work it out – then add Saturday mornings 9-11.  144 hours a week

No wonder I see a brand new caravan the length of a semitrailer in their back yard and a whacking great 7.2 litre V8 Landcruiser in the shed.  It looks like a serious rig. Running away from home it seems.

I guess each of us knows a little facet of the Devin/Gloria team but I bet not everybody knows this.  They are bikies and ride big road bikes – Gloria on her Harley Davidson Sports 883 and Devin on his Speedmaster 865.  How’s that for something different. 

And so is this.  In the floods a couple of years ago the water was lapping at the floorboards of every business in town.  But the PO remained relatively unscathed. However there was one disaster.  The concrete bus seat at the front of the premises was carried away by the force of the water, down along the lane and smashed into the roller door of Devin’s shed.  You guessed it.  It went right through and wiped out the Hilux, the Commodore, all Devin’s tools and camping gear.  It also wiped out the bikes.  I’ve never heard Gloria swear out loud.  However that may, or may not be the truth.  It did have a happy ending with a sympathetic insurance company.        

Now just a little family history.  In 1975 Devin’s mum Edna bought the Post Office from Lou Cooper, after working there between 1957 and 1959 and then again in 1972 after Devin and Cindy were born.  A little later in 1978 her husband Doug left the APM and they worked together.  

It was in 1993 Devin left his trade as a motor body builder and joined his parents to help with the business.  In 1995 Doug passed away and in 1999 Devin and Gloria bought the freehold and business from Edna.  It had never been offered on the market for 38 years until this month.  

I think I can say from every member of the public that we will miss you Gloria, the Postess with the Mostest and Devin, the Voice of the PMG.  Come back sometimes, you two, y’hear. 

Ryle Winn. 

Come and say goodbye

Drop in for a Beer or a Cuppa

at the FAREWELL from DEVIN AND GLORIA

on SUNDAY 1st December 2013 1.30pm 

at Dayboro Uniting Church (22 Williams Street, Dayboro)