Deep Thoughts About Delivery
I work from home and I have so little time to do ALL THE THINGS before the kids are home from school. Consequently, I’ve developed a moderate to severe addiction to all things delivered. DoorDash for lunch, Instacart for groceries, and Amazon for everything else I could ever want in this life. . I know I’ve made it clear that I’m not a fan of people, and that’s true, but I am a fan of individuals. It’s when the individuals get into a group that I get a little weary. But one on one, I enjoy hearing people’s stories. And lately I’ve been entertained by the stories of the various people who deliver stuff to my house all day. . Every age, race, gender, orientation, and car type has paid me a visit (I get A LOT of stuff delivered). There are college kids, stay-at-home moms, retirees, and everyone in between. . There was one guy who was working DoorDash as his 3rd job to support his family, one mom from my neighborhood who delivers groceries while her kids are at school, an older war vet who walked slowly, with a limp, but enjoyed this job because it gets him out of the house. . There was a man whose teenage autistic son can only be calmed by the family’s comfort dog. Their landlord tried to charge them extra for the dog. There was a 60-something woman who has participated in 36 Spartan races. She’s had to stop after a car accident messed up her knees. She’s frustrated by her body and her healthcare options. . There was a trans woman, who kept her eyes down and wouldn’t look up at me, until I spoke and asked a question to get her attention. She was not expecting kindness. I usually open the door and come out before the person knocks, to avoid the dog barking her face off. One time I did this and found a Black man approaching the house, holding the food up, announcing, “DoorDash!!” I smiled and said, “You had some issues in this neighborhood?” He just shook his head and chuckled. . We don’t do a lot of communicating these days. Not face to face. Not with people who aren’t in our immediate circle. I think the world would be a better place if we all took the time to hear other people tell their stories, face to face, human to human. If we took the time to hear what it’s like for other people to move through this world. . Am I saying DoorDash can save our entire society? . Perhaps.
