Memories of a Friend

Over the course of our ten year professional association, I was fortunate to know the real Andy Sozzi. There was his NAPS person and so much more as a human being.

We shared many things in common and it began with our sports teams, we both loved The Mets and The Jets. The Mets were a mystery to me for this Bronx aka Yankee resident but then I knew Andy had good taste. We were both animal lovers and all of our trips consisted of a stop at a nearby Petco or Petsmart. We would bring home toys for our furry friends. Andy would always look to adopt another cat.

Our travel schedules were arduous and overlapping at times and we believed in attending new Catholic churches in each new city. The first time worship would entitle us to one wish and it was always Good health, luck, safe travel and please help our Mets. Naturally we both loved Italian cooking and fine wines from all over the world, for it was Andy who was a true wine connoisseur.

NAPS business put us in the classic good cop, bad cop roles with Andy of course always playing the good cop. I nicknamed him Mr. Spock because he always had the logical answer which would defuse a potentially hostile situation which as the bad cop I may have initiated. His classic line was ” What Tommy really meant to say” was a signal it was time to back off and calm down a situation.

The memorial service hosted by NAPS and Branch 100 created a flood of memories as I waited my turn to speak and try to summarize my partners life in 5 minutes. We both started in the USPS as Letter carriers, became front line supervisors at almost the same time. We were both Presidents of our beloved Columbia association and local NAPS Branches.. Both of us retained our mutual respect for each other during all of our NAPS adventures. NEVER a single disagreement.

STAY STRONG is the motto that Andy left us, try to live his words. Rest in Peace my Friend.

Tommy.