The week prior was an extremely interesting time. I wanted to still work but with minimal human contact and the best way to go about that was to deliver food. It was considered essential by the governor. Along with healthcare professionals and first responders.
Monday
It was a quiet day. Just delivering food with many good tips. I started to listen to audio books to pass the time. Self help books and various non fiction books including Michio Kaku’s The Future of the Mind. A fascinating piece of literature about the advancements of the human brain and what we might be able to with it in the future. I highly recommend this and encourage people to delve into it no matter who you are. You’ll definitely learn something.
Tuesday
See above.
Wednesday – Day 131
After a couple of slow days with Viking in the north of the county I decided to risk my health and life by turning uber and lyft back on, and by heading to Bellingham. Sure enough I had at least three pings for the ride sharing apps. Two nurses and one sheila that works at the Dollar Tree. I couldn’t help but think how dangerous it could possibly be by picking up nurses or doctors. The Dollar Tree Lady booked me for the next day, which I agreed to do. A dollar store that charges you a lot more than a dollar for things like batteries. Probably false advertising calling the Dollar Tree, oh I guess there’s no trees either. I can see the class action lawsuit now. There was no dollar trees at the Dollar Tree or most things are over a dollar at the dollar store. I’m sure America will find a way to sue this pretentious store. This was the extent of my pick-ups then I had to to deliver food with Viking. It was definitely busier in the Bham. More restaurants, more people, more demand. It made perfect sense. Oh yeah forgot to say more tips. I think the best tip I had that day was $15 for $4.00 cake. Why? Because Covid-19 that’s why?
Thursday – Day 132
I began my day picking up the Dollar Tree lady. She was happy I was there, many drivers turned off their app as soon as they figured out they could die from an infectious disease. Fair dinkum what a strange time this is. After I dropped of the Dollar Tree worker I decided to turn on every single app I had. Post Mates was a new one I hadn’t even tried yet, Instacart was another I turned on, Uber and then of Course Lyft. That’s when shit got stressful. A mistake I will never ever make again. Two apps are fine, but four? That just becomes a chaotic situation that I wouldn’t wish upon anyone. Ping Ping Ping Ping! Which one do I pick? Fine Postmates and then I’ll pick up this person then another. Someone has got to wait. I went to pick-up a green matcha tea from the Starbuck. I used a card to swipe for the $7 drink and then I dropped it off at the house. I had to take a photograph of the tea sitting out the front of the door. What a gross looking iced mess it appears to be. No thanks. I look at the app to see how much I got paid for that one drink, $3.00. No tip. That was the last time I ever used Post Mates. Next I went to pick up a bloke who works in the weed industry. Smelt like it too. I told him I had another passenger waiting after I drop him off. I was busy. Too busy I kept getting pings. Some I denied and some were queuing in the apps. After weed man I picked up a couple of medical clothing cleaners. They were working extra hard in this crisis to make sure all doctors and nurses scrubs were clean. Then I picked up a bloke who needed to go to a Seven Eleven (711). I turned every app off and just kept Viking foods on, my shift started at 10 and was supposed to finish around 7pm. I delivered food from a food truck a house, that was a first. I amused myself by thinking they’re a food truck why don’t you just drive to their house and deliver it yourself. Of course they set-up shop in one spot for a whole day and make many sales. Some restaurants in America start off as a food truck and then buy a space once they can afford it. I delivered food from coffee stands and even teriyaki places. When I hit a lull I took a break and turned on the ride share apps. SIDE NOTE: By the way I never ended up trying Instacart I had it only as a backup, personally I hate shopping for myself let alone anyone else. Instacart basically enables you to follow someone else’s grocery list, pick-up the items and deliver them. Sounds fun right? What happens if they don’t have the item they want? You ask. Well you can swap toilet paper out for a loaf of bread as a similar item if you want. If the customer agrees to it, then you’re buying a loaf of bread as toilet paper. I heard tips are good on this app, but I never delved into it. Moving on, oh where was I? Yes a lull. I got a ping in Lyft and this bloke was a writer, or so he says anyway. When he found out I was Australian he went on to say how hot Australian women are. He was extremely detailed. Then he said his daughter watches an Australian show about mermaids. Nice one mate, sounds educational. Following on from that rider I had maths student that gave me a fun fact about focussing. It can take 45 minutes for the average person to refocus on a project if interrupted. This was later confirmed in the audio book I was listening to. The day ended with my delivering food in north county. The day ended with me earning over $200.
Friday
Love Fridays even in the food delivery industry they are indeed still fruitful. This day was unique because it was the first time I delivered a margarita to a house. I had to take the drink mix and alcohol to the persons door and ask for their ID. I snapped a photo of the over aged individual and went on my merry way. Now after this I had to get a sandwich and coffee from the Railway Cafe in Blaine. As I was leaving this scruffy old man with decrepit clothes approached me. “Good day to you fine sir!’ He exclaimed in a British accent. I couldn’t help but notice he had missing teeth and was quite filthy. “G’day mate, I must go. Gotta deliver this food”. “Ah from the colonies I hear, South Africa?” he queried. “Nah mate, Australia”. I replied. “Ah yes, the great southern land are you from the Gold Coast? Anyway you see that man down there, he’s a millionaire and he won’t do anything for his daughter, he’s very selfish if you ask me”. he mused. I look back down the road and couldn’t see who the hell he was talking about. Then he babbled on about God knows what, until I interjected and said “Look mate, sorry I can’t chat, I’ve gotta go!” “Farewell kind sir”. The crazy thing about that encounter is that he never asked me for money, which is what I was expecting. He was indeed very well spoken, polite, but clearly didn’t have his shit together. What’s weird is that I did live on the Gold Coast for 13 years of my life for primary and high school. I thought I would never see him again, but I was wrong. I saw him later that day chatting to someone else near the Mexican restaurant. Now please note this I saw him in Blaine on this day. I do see him again in a couple of weeks. Look out for that random encounter again.
Next up Viking Week 3.
