Challenge of the anonymous delivery – Tales of the Courier
Do not knock. Do not ring the bell. Furthermore, don’t call or text. 1courier reads the special instructions again. It isn’t that he thinks the words will change. If that were going to happen, it would have happened the third time he read them. They are unusual. And it’s that last part that has him stumped. It’s not unusual to have a drop-off that prefers to be anonymous. However, it is unusual to have an anonymous no contact drop-off.
In fact, there is no way to know if he’s in the right place. Except for the GPS signal, he has no way to confirm the drop-off location. No call, no text. What a strange request. This is the first time he’s ever had a request like this. While it’s true that occasionally the delivery requests are off the wall, they at least make sense. Maybe someone wants an extra item. Or maybe it’s about a hidden driveway. Of course there are drop-off locations that prefer a quiet delivery. That’s why the ‘no contact’ in any way, shape, or form, has 1courier stumped.
Furthermore, his proof of delivery, just became more complicated. He grins. There’s always the oops method. He imagines himself standing on the front porch with his finger on the doorbell. Ding dong, “Oops, I didn’t see the special instructions.” Slightly unethical, but at least he would have his proof of delivery. He downshifts the ride, and prepares for the drop-off. Besides, what could be so important as to forbid even a text?
The Anonymous Delivery
Finley’s Row is a small district that sits between two abandoned mining towns in the hills of the Southeast. It got its name from the industrial boom of the early nineteen hundreds. Back in those days Jack Finley owned the land. Furthermore, he refused to sell it to the mining companies. Although they tried to get the land in more ways than one, Jack Finley stuck to his guns. It went on for years. And eventually ended up in a huge court battle, which Jack Finley ultimately won. That’s how the area became known as Finley’s Row.
With this in mind, the mining towns eventually shut down. However, Finley’s Row became a town of its own. Nestled between two mountains, the town feels isolated. However, it is only thirty minutes from the city. It’s far enough away to be a long delivery. But close enough to quickly get back on the playing field. And that is only if 1courier can find the drop-off location. Finley’s Row is not GPS friendly. In fact, the GPS signal has a way of disappearing suddenly once inside the town. Surely his delivery customer is aware of this. Or, maybe there is another reason for the anonymous drop-off.
Delivery Challenge
Ten minutes later and he’s in front of the drop-off location. At least, he hopes it’s the location. Chances are, he will never know. No sense in stalling. All he has to do is go to the door and leave the package on the porch. Piece of cake. What could go wrong? And why in the hell would he even think such a thought? What could go wrong? That’s like asking for a menu of disasters waiting to happen. An old town in between two towns, abandoned long ago. Furthermore, no communication allowed. What could go wrong indeed.
Although sorely tempted, he does not ring the doorbell. Additionally, he doesn’t text or call. In fact, it is an extremely quick drop-off. Is it the right place? According to the mailbox he’s spot on. Additionally, the neighbors appear to be curious about his being here. One of them watches him from their front window as he leaves the porch. He grins. That will work as his proof of delivery. The nosy neighbor strikes again.
Tales of the Courier
Back in the ride he marks the delivery as complete. Tie another one to the rack. The ride back will be quick. Furthermore, it is still relatively early in the evening. With some luck he will have time for several more runs. This is when the m-com link usually flashes and screws things up. 1courier looks at the m-com link in its mounting bracket. As if sensing his gaze, the m-com link lights up. 1courier quickly looks away, knowing it’s already too late.
Would he ever learn not to do these things? The m-com link flashes, and 1courier opens the link. It is a message from the previous, anonymous, drop-off. 1courier stares at the message feeling a sense of disbelief. “You went to the wrong house.” The wrong house? It doesn’t make sense. However, he can’t say he isn’t surprised. This whole delivery has had a strange feel from the start. Rather than waste time on debate, he turns the ride around and races back to the previous drop-off.
The Anonymous Challenge
Fortunately, he is only a few blocks away. Therefore the return trip goes quickly. With any luck he will have this snafu corrected in no time. As he moves back into the old rundown neighborhood a sense of confusion starts to build in his mind. He checks the GPS location on his map. It’s spot on. He’s in the right place. However, this is not where he was before. In fact, this is the complete opposite of where he was before. For starters there are no lights. Anywhere. Neither street lights nor house lights. The entire street is dark.
As he nears the house where he made the mistaken drop-off, he begins to notice something peculiar. All the houses look condemned. And some even have boards over the windows. He double checks the GPS Navigation map. He’s exactly where he was before. He pulls up in front of the badly degenerated house he was just in front of five minutes before. This is no recent shutdown. This house sat vacant for quite some time. 1courier sees cobwebs on the porch. Furthermore, it is rundown as though condemned many years ago.
Courier Tales
That’s when the m-com link flashes again. This time the message is completely different. It’s HQ asking if he’s ready to start his shift. Apparently he is missing an hour. Over on the porch of the rundown old house, the delivery package is missing as well. Or was it ever really there? He begins to wonder if he really was here before. Then, as he pulls away from the old house, the m-com link flashes again. He expects HQ will want an immediate answer, as he opens the link, but it’s quite the opposite. He blinks in surprise at the three words on the link, “I’m still waiting“.
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