Paper Route Redux

More paperboy redux: A note from my old boss

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Thanks to everyone for checking out my Paper Route Redux video on Wednesday and passing it around. After worrying about it and delaying the release for nearly a month, I'm happy to declare the experiment a success. I've received dozens of wonderful e-mails from former Chronicle paper carriers and other well-wishers. I look forward to pouring a cocktail and giving them my full attention in a couple of days. Please keep your paper route stories coming!

The most mind-blowing message by far came from the man who was my boss in 1983 ... and still works for the Chronicle. Here's his e-mail:

I'm guessing this was in triplicate.

I added the red arrow.

Hi Peter,

I just saw your paper route video. What a great story.

I actually hired you. I was the Area Advisor and I contracted you for the route, my signature is on the 'Parent Consent' agreement, and Mike Shores, who was the Home Delivery Supervisor at the time, signed the contract.

Your throwing technique was OK, a little rusty, but not bad.

I wish you the best with your story and hope you get many responses!

Thanks for the flashback!

Don Leary

San Francisco Chronicle/SFGate

State Circulation Supervisor

Thanks for the charitable assessment of my throwing abilities and congratulations on an amazing career! (Don told me he's been at the Chronicle for more than 40 years.) I hope I can buy you a beer some time in 2011, since I was about a decade too young to do it when we worked together.

Don's signature is highlighted in the image to the right. I've scanned in the full contract below. Read More 'More paperboy redux: A note from my old boss ' »

Posted By: Peter Hartlaub (Email, Twitter) | January 13 2011 at 06:32 AM

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Paper Route Redux: Delivering my old Chronicle route

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In addition to working as a San Francisco Chronicle reporter and critic for the past decade, I was a Chronicle paperboy from 1983 to 1985. In an attempt to celebrate the newspaper's past while embracing its multimedia future, I decided to deliver my old Chronicle route one more time.

The greater goal is to make Paper Route Redux into a series, as a vehicle to tell stories about interesting Bay Area people. If you're a former San Francisco Chronicle paperboy or papergirl, and you'd like to deliver your old route, send an e-mail to phartlaub@sfchronicle.com. Let me know about your old Chronicle route, your ties to the Bay Area, what you do now and anything else you think is relevant. Include a photo of yourself past and present if you'd like -- or send me a link to a YouTube video explaining why you'd like to participate. I'm hoping to shoot Episode 2 later this month. If we get enough e-mails, I'll speak to my editors about compiling some of the stories into a feature for the newspaper.

I'm looking forward to your responses. More on Paper Route Redux: Episode 1 below ... Read More 'Paper Route Redux: Delivering my old Chronicle route' »

Posted By: Peter Hartlaub (Email, Twitter) | January 12 2011 at 05:12 AM

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