Posted on Monday, Dec. 01, 2008

Delivered with integrity

By Dan Barkin

A few Sundays ago, J.B. Townsend Jr. of Lumberton was driving up to the supermarket to get a News & Observer out of the box. There was a man already at the box, feeding coins in, so Townsend waited.

And watched. What he saw prompted him to write a letter to this newspaper, a letter that was published a week ago Saturday. Here is what he wrote:

"There were two papers on top. The man would insert the coins, open the door, take a paper out, close the door, and then repeat the process. I got out and approached him. I said, 'If you ever need testimony as to your honesty, any time, I will be glad to give it.' He said that The N&O didn't deliver to Fairmont and that he came over every Sunday, bought six papers and then carried them back and delivered them. His last name was Floyd, and he is an endangered species -- the honest man."