At Your Service! | Prompt A Day - January 14, 2025

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Author's note: I will be using @rbhayes account for my journey back into writing from hereon.

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Fiction: A food delivery driver keeps getting orders from the same address, but finds a different house there each time.

19-40, February 25 – 120 Cornelia St.
Milk (1L)
Bread (1 pack)
Eggs (1 dozen)
SPAM (5 cans)

Well, this was a fairly decent time… He thought to himself, riding on his bicycle along the mostly quiet suburban street, the only occasional noise coming from his one squeaky tire. He’d have to oil that before his next delivery, people were a bit high strung these days…

“Oh! Thanks for delivering these, it’s been difficult to leave the kids alone to get some groceries done while my husband’s away…”

The woman trailed off, balancing the baby in her one arm while taking the groceries from him in the other . His eyes then wandered down towards the young boy holding out a paper bag to him as well as an envelope.

“Ah, Mrs. Carter, this is too much—” He tried to give back the paper bag that smelled delicious.

“Take it dear, it’s the least I could do with the groceries you’ve braved to delivery to us so far.”

Grinning as he said his thanks while pocketing the small envelope of money for his services, he went back home full from the grilled cheese sandwich Mrs. Carter had made him, and the baked cookies in there were still warm too.

20-15, February 26 – 120 Cornelia St. Unit 3B
Milk and Eggs
drop in a liter of coke and pizza whuddya?

Turning off the engine from his motorbike as he parked in the building’s designated space for deliveries, he glanced up to where he thought the unit would be before he entered the establishment.

“Took ya long ‘nough.” The burly guy who opened the door popped the gum in his mouth, the scantily clad woman at his side giggling as she took the groceries from him before heading inside. He did buy pizza too, the microwavable type, but nothing beats a good ‘ole pepperoni.

“What else ya waitin’ for kid, a tip?” The guy grumbled, about to slam the door on him.

“You haven’t paid yet, actually.” He said nonchalantly, already through with these sorts of customers as he held a hand out for the payment.

The other guy sneered at him then, but still paid, if not by throwing the wad of bills at his feet before letting out a laugh as he now slammed the door.

He sighed as he bent down to pick up the bills, he really preferred the earlier customers.

18-10, February 27 – 120 Herring Farm
Milk and Eggs please, the cows and chickens haven’t been doing very well…
Bread (or wheat if it’s not too much to ask, our crops have also run dry)
Thank you very much.

His trusty horse well enough carried the amount of groceries he had to deliver today as they trotted along the dusty road leading into the farm, he was welcomed by the door opening just as he’d hopped off by the stable.

“Sonny boy! You came right on time, thanks for bringing them goods!” The older man who greeted him helped him in carrying the supplies off his stead, “I can’t thank you enough for this lad, it’s been a bad harvest for us this year you see” The man huffed, wiping the sweat of his brow.

“I’ve got something for your daughter too sir, just to make her feel better.” The young miss Herring had not been getting better since last winter…

“This is too much boy! I can only pay you enough for these goods—”

“Consider it as a promotional item sir, from our business.” He closed his hand over the green bottle of medicine he was giving, “If it would end up to your liking, then I hope you spread the good news to your neighbors.”

“Well… it was already a downright miracle I found your delivery services at all – never thought I’d get a reply from that old mailbox – alrighty then.” Mr. Herring accepted the item and also handed him well enough two small bags of coins for the payment.

“You watch yourself out there on your way back, sonny. Lots of highway robbers in these trying times…” The man waved as he left to leave.

Back at his office, his floor was mostly quiet but with the occasional notification beeps from the doors with their designated address of delivery – always the same place, just a different time….

In his room, he passed by the slogan that came with their job, “Intra-mediate Delivery Services: As Long As You Know Where to Order, We’ll Always Find Time to Deliver!” The beep that pulled his focus signaled another order coming from his device.

13-50, February 28 – Blue 4th House on the left, along Corn Coast
Urgently need, Milk, Eggs and Cheese please! And if you sell salve for boils that would be extremely helpful!
Many thanks.

Well, here’s to checking if he still had that old mask in storage when making deliveries in this time period.