Dairy king

>> Honest-to-goodness milkman hands out the homo

by CHRIS BARRY

Name: Dean Di Monte

Age: 26

Salary: $30,000 per annum.

Hours worked daily: From 4:30 a.m.-9 p.m., five days a week.

Bio: This zesty Italian comes from a long line of milkmen--his grandfather delivered milk in the Pointe from a horse and buggy and his father, a career milkman himself, continues to help Dean on his route today. The youngest and most virile milkman in town, Dean, who happens to be lactose intolerant, is proud to state that delivering milk is in his blood. When the opportunity to pick up a viable delivery route presented itself to him back in '94, this Côte-St-Luc resident jumped at the chance to "live out his childhood dream" and purchased it immediately. "To me, being a milkman was like being a superhero."

Best part of the job: Going to seniors' residences and seeing how excited the old folks get when he arrives. "It's one of the highlights of their day. They actually fight to be the first in line to get their milk. It's really something to behold."

One reason why he is such a hit with the seniors: "I joke around with them a lot. If they ask if my eggs are fresh, I'll waddle around and cluck like a chicken and say, 'Hey, they don't get any fresher than this.' They love it."

Do any seniors believe he's really a giant chicken? No.

Worst part of the job: Driving around in his cold truck at 4:30 a.m. on a January morning knowing that everybody else is comfortable in their warm beds and questioning why he ever dared to dream the dream of becoming a milkman.

How often kids steal milk from peoples' porches: Practically never. Milk is not as exciting to this generation of children as it was in his grandfather's day.

How often customers greet him at the door nude: Once in a while, but most of the time it's elderly people too zoned out to notice. "It's a little uncomfortable. Some of the younger women greet me in lingerie in which they might as well be nude. I try not to look because I'm kind of shy and it's a little embarrasing."

How regularly bored housewives try to get it on with the milkman: Occasionally. "To some women, I'm the only man they see all day and, you know, I'm a lot younger than most of the guys in this business and, I guess I'm not bad looking so they flirt with me a bit and kind of make themselves available. But I've never let anybody take advantage of a situation. I just try to go about my business."

Has he ever been bitten by a customer's rabid dog? Yes. He's been attacked three times and hospitalized once. These days he brings doggy biscuits with him to work.

Hobbies: Acting.

Favourite thespian: Robert De Niro.

Favourite watering holes: Every Friday night Dean and his friends howl at "trendy" clubs on the Main like Wax and Conga.

Last book read: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.

Ambition: To "shack up" with a life-partner and pursue his acting career more seriously.

Inspirational words: "Nothing comes easy in life. We have to work hard for whatever we have. Be proud of whatever it is you do, whether you're a garbage-picker, a milkman, or a doctor."