Humans of Derby: Dan, the UPS man

During the Derby High Journalism Camp, students interviewed random people around the community.

Promise Asher

 

 

UPS is known for delivering packages, however, sometimes their employees are full packages on their own.

Meet Dan.

Born and raised in Denver, Dan ended up in Kansas by circumstance. With an old soul and a cheerful smile, Dan thought about what he wishes youngsters could understand.

“Well, what you’re going through right now is the same thing we went through, only it was different, but it wasn’t,” Dan said. “Being able to look at a lifespan and how things change, especially it’s been really interesting to see how I’m an awful lot like my grandparents, and I thought they were really strict, strange people sometimes.”

What seemed to be just another person in a UPS store, turned out to be a man with stories, most of which his coworkers had to encourage him to open up about.

One of his co workers encouraged him to describe the movie he once acted in at just 14 years old.

“It was a Kansas movie … in Kansas about Kansas,” Dan said.

The movie, titled Picnic, won two Academy Awards for Best Film Editing and Best Production Design, and was even nominated for Best Picture, along with other awards.

“It was filmed in about six or seven different places where I grew up, and I got to be in it. It was really exciting,” Dan said.

Acting wasn’t the only thing Dan did — he is an Army Veteran.

“He was in the Vietnam War, too,” Dan’s co worker mentioned.

From acting to active service, Dan is a man who is grateful for his experiences.

“ I was 26,” Dan said. “I was a real lucky person when I went over there.”

Dan’s stories displayed not only an interesting past, but the character shaped by the years of experiences that couldn’t wait to be told.