Fateyva Miles has been a mail carrier in the Houston area for three years. She moved there from Michigan.
“I kinda don’t like the flooding, but I love Houston,” she said.
Miles worked the Labor Day holiday Monday because no mail had been delivered for four days in her Scarsdale delivery area, southeast of downtown Houston. Now, carriers are trying to catch up.
“I think my route is the most affected out of the entire station," she says. "They kind of feel bad for me. But seeing these people makes me appreciate… You know, I didn’t get affected. And this is bad. This is really bad."
Miles walked her delivery route wearing a face mask to protect her from the mold and fiberglass insulation particles in the air because of the flooding and subsequent home demolition. As she headed down the street, doors stood open as homeowners tried to air things out.
“When I’m walking, I’m in between them throwing [the insulation] out, so that stuff flies back at me. I go home with stuff in my hair, and I have to wash it every day. So that’s not fun!”
Though she’s doing the same job and the same route post-Harvey, she has to watch her step.
“But I’ve gotta do it,” Miles said.
