UnfortunateIy, I got COVID. This is my 3rd time and as bad as the first 2. I was vaccinated and wearing a mask in public as much as possible, yet still managed to get infected due to compromised immunity.
Last Sunday I went to a grocery store to buy a cooking oil. I forgot my mask but thought it would be quick and no big deal. I was wrong. The store was unexpectedly PACKED with regulars, weekend family shoppers, and germs. After waiting for a while in a long line at the checkout line, I brought an oil and COVID home.
COVID hits me hard every time. Within 6 hours, my throat was on fire, my head was throbbing, and I was shivering from cold. Next day, fever surpassed 100 F with agonizing body pain. Home COVID test kit turned positive in 15 seconds. I had no cold medicine and little food in the fridge that could last up to 2 days. I craved for fruits and cold refreshment. But there was none as I finished them the night before to soothe my burning throat.
It was impossible for me to get out of bed, get dressed, and go shopping by bicycle. I was way too sick. This is the hardest part of living alone. I cannot get too sick to the point I can no longer take care of myself. so I resorted to grocery delivery service.
Delivery service
I never used Uber Eats, DoorDash or even Pizza delivery because of the tip system. I’ve seen enough TikTok or Instagram videos where drivers are having a dispute/tantrum over tips. For someone who is from the country where tip system dosen’t exist, it can be quite intimidating to try these services for the first time.
Giant online service made it easy for me and precalculated the tip. A 20% of the total seemed appropriate, and I pressed the Purchase button and went back to bed to wait for the delivery. Wait, I still had to do a couple more things!
Most of deliveries in this apartment complex would be dropped off at our 24/7 front desk. It’s a large building located in a busy neighborhood, and the driver cannot leave the track parked on the street for a long time. So the tenants are encouraged to pick up their delivery items at the front instead of having the driver go up to the floor to deliver individually.
It’s totally understandable, but I can’t do that right now! What’s the point of paying extra for delivery service if I still have to go out and spread COVID? So I called the front desk and explained that I had COVID and was unable to leave my apartment. Thankfully, the concierge made an arrangement so that the driver would come to my door. Great! Now I could go back to sleep… No, not yet. I needed to do one last thing.
A Thank-you note
I believe tips are for excellent service and sign of our appreciation and satisfaction. The driver Aron (per tracking app) had to do extra for my order, so I wanted to give him an instant reward. I put a thank-you note and cash in an envelope and posted on the door for him. It would show him why I needed that arrangement and how much I appreciated his accommodation.
The message can give him a sense of purpose as to why he chose to do that job. It would motivate him to know that he was able to help someone in need and apprecicated.
Such a simple gesture of gratitude could easily make someone’s day. Instead of dispute, we can both smile over this one small order.