Cheryl Burgess is an employer's dream. She is dedicated, loyal, and totally focused on her work. She has an excellent memory, and knows pretty well all there is to know about her clients' whereabouts. She doesn't waste time on idle gossip, and ignores the telephone. Instead, she fills her day in total concentration sorting endless bundles of letters, slotting them into mail boxes with a deft sleight of hand.

Miss Burgess is also profoundly deaf, yet her rapport with her fellow workers is excellent, thanks to a combination of sign language, lip reading, and written notes.

"She is an excellent worker, one of the best," Letter Department supervisor Derek Ingham says.

In fact, among the 26 different personalities he has to deal with, he says the productivity of both Miss Burgess and another hearing-impaired employee, Charmaine Scott, is equal to, if not greater, than their colleagues because they are not subjected to the same distractions.

Miss Burgess learned about the job at the Post Office through a former employee, who encouraged her to apply. That was 18 years ago, and she is still happy with her decision. First assigned to putting letters in the post boxes at the General Post Office, she has since been promoted to sorter.

Over the years, she has developed a broad knowledge of who works or lives where, and even in some cases knows where a recipient has moved from one job or address to another. It is all part of the irreplaceable lore a longtime employee acquires.

Nothing, and no one gets blue-eyed Miss Burgess down. Known for her permanent smile and cheerful disposition, she just goes with the flow - even at Christmas time when the post office is flooded with mail.

"I just do what I can in the working day, and then I go home to my two sons," she says.

As a working mother, her day is full and includes driving her children to and from school. Her favourite time is spent communicating with them.

Asked what she likes best about her job, the diligent mail handler responds: "Friends and people". Although she admits that sometimes the work can be "boring", on the whole she likes it "very much".

One of her best friends is another long-time employee, mail handler Merle Brangman, who has been with the Post Office for 20 years. Over time, Miss Brangman has grown to understand her colleague's difficult speech pattern, and also understands some sign language. As a result, the two communicate well and have a great relationship.

Following Hurricane Fabian, which damaged the Air Mail Facility at the airport and necessitated its relocation to Hamilton, they were joined by Ms Charmaine Scott, who is also hearing impaired but not as profoundly as Miss Burgess. She too uses sign language, and can speak well, so is able to interpret both ways, which has been a boon in raising the level of communication between the trio.

A working mother, she joined the postal service five months ago and thus far is enjoying it. Starting as an entry level sorter, Ms Scott has worked in many areas of the Air Mail Facility, but intends to work her way up the ladder until she can work on computers.

"I love the computer, that is my favourite thing," she says firmly.

Like Miss Burgess, Miss Brangman was encouraged to join the postal service by one of its former employees. She applied, was duly accepted and began work on January 15, 1982. Today, with 21 years' service behind her, some of it at Paget Post Office, there isn't much Miss Brangman has not experienced in the course of her career, and of course she has a depth of knowledge that only long service can bring, which makes her invaluable.

Few realise just what goes on behind the scenes before mail reaches an addressee. The many steps include separating the heaps of mail into postal districts, then into piles for postmen or mail boxes.

Redirecting misaddressed mail; putting mail otherwise addressed into known post boxes instead; inserting collection notices into post boxes for mail too big to fit them; complying with special arrangements made by vacationing box holders; stamping received damaged mail and repairing it with sticky tape; and even remembering the right address for insufficiently or incorrectly addressed mail.

"I wish people would take a tour and see exactly what we go through around here," Miss Brangman says. "I think the public believes we sit here twiddling our fingers, but we really work, and we take pride in what we do."

All three employees acknowledge a major problem: hand writing!

"Some of it is just unbelievable," Miss Brangman says. "There are even times when it is so (illegible) that we have to return it to the sender."

There are also plenty of "John Doe, Hamilton, Bermuda", or even "John Doe, Bermuda" addresses to deal with, as well as people who don't bother to tell the Post Office when they move or give up a post box.

Like her colleagues, however, Miss Brangman takes it all in stride, just as she does the Christmas rush and being on her feet all day, because, when all is said and done, she just enjoys her job, her colleagues, and her boss, Mr. Ingham.

"We're just family here," Miss Brangman says. "Even if we have our little fusses sometimes we get it settled and the next day we're back together. Overall it is a very happy atmosphere and Mr. Ingham is such a nice, easy-going man. He tells we can't do some things, but generally he is a lovely person to work for. I found him here when I joined, and I enjoy working with him."

Asked what qualities it takes to do their jobs, the three woman said: "a good memory, a cheerful disposition, and patience".