I had ordered something which would be delivered in about seven days. After two days a guy phoned me at 8:15 in the morning: Mr. Courier, asking if he could come around to deliver a parcel. As I was standing in the supermarket doing some much needed grocery shopping...no, not really.
So I answered: "I'll be home in an hour or so."
Lots of discussion in the background. Then: "Can I bring it now?"
"No, I'm in the supermarket, I'll be home in about an hour," I said slowly and loudly in my mobile phone.
"Ah, the supermarket? Then we'll go there."
What? I imagined myself standing in front of the supermarket with a shopping trolley filled to the brim with refrigerated and frozen stuff, impatiently waiting for a courier who's not showing up because he:
a. is at the wrong store
b. stopped to pray
c. stopped to eat
d. is around the corner chatting to a taxi driver.
"No problem, ma'am, I'll come between 1 and 3 pm."
"Oh, sorry, not between 2 and 3 pm, then I will not be home. Schoolrun..."
"I can give the parcel to the maid, ma'am."
"I don't have a domestic helper," I answer almost apologizing.
At that moment the telephone conversation gets too complicated for person A, so person B takes over. After some back-and-forth talking, we agree the courier will bring the parcel before 1 pm.
Two hours later, my phone rings: the same person, asking if he can come between 1 and 3 pm. No!!
"Okay, I'll come in an one hour, ma'am."
Ten minutes later the doorbell goes. Mr. Courier has arrived, smiling and handing over The Parcel.
