A small parcel arrived yesterday sent by Doctor 37 Mike. Among other things it contained an Elliott Bay Messenger Company Slip as you can see it’s #378909 in triplicate.
It brings me to 1997 as swiftly as a familiar smell. I can almost feel the heft of the duct tape covered book in which I kept my completed slips and some fresh ones too for those clients without a clue. That book was tucked in its special pocket in my Timbuk 2. That book was money as it contained the only thing I had to show at the end of the day for all the miles I rode. Back when bike messengers carried pagers and brick-size radios. Back when people used landline phones to call messenger companies to carry VHS tapes and airline tickets and architectural drawings and legal documents printed on actual paper and they used ballpoint pens to sign their names on triplicate forms. Back when road masters cost a dollar.
Dispatcher: Zero Seven head to Ad Serv for a ‘teener to Wizzy Wig.
When you get to Wizzy Wig they’ll have four half-hours for you to KING-5, KOMO, KIRO & KCPQ
07: Copy five
Thank you 37. Here’s to 02 Joey, 27 Aaron, 35 Brian (75% of State of the Union) as well as 33 John, 75 Max, 03 Bryce and 09 Dave. 61 Marcus and 61 Matt and the many other riders and numbers I cannot remember from 1997.
If I had a purple & black Elliott Bay Messenger Company vest I’d be wearing it as we speak.
That Snap-On wrench is a developing story. More on that some other day.
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