HEERA ALAYA

January 1st, 2021

“We don’t have that much time here [in life].
My religion is respecting people,
being kind, and doing the right thing.”

SHAWN

Courier, USA

Heera Alaya: Hello, Shawn. Thank you for your time; I will make it snappy. What time does your workday start, and approximately what time do you wrap up?

Shawn: I start at 8:30 am and finish, at the latest, by 9:00 pm.

That is a long day.

A long day it is.

How many days a week do you work?

Five days.

For how many years have you been a courier?

19 years.

What are a few job-related challenges?

It would have to be traffic and walking tourists. I have to concentrate more to be safe.

Is it easier to deliver and pick up packages in a specific season?

The summer is harder, and the working hours are often longer because more people are out, and we have to keep taking breaks because we don’t want to pass out [due to the heat]. Whereas, in the winter, not many people are out, keeping us on the move.

Does winter pose a different set of obstacles?

It’s the winter weather, especially when it snows—it makes the roads slippery.

Which is your favourite season?

Spring and Fall.

Your job includes driving, parking and walking as you drop off and pick up packages. How do you navigate the day and route?

We scan the area as we drive down the street. Also, we are trained to look and park a block ahead before stopping for deliveries; this training teaches us to pick up the safest spots.

So you have to concentrate.

Yes, it takes a lot of concentration. We are scanning—we scan in a triangle, from left to front to the right, and then back to the front and left. By continually scanning in a triangle, we know what’s happening around, in front of, and to the sides of us.

Does your work take a toll on your health? If yes, which parts of your body are most affected?

The back and knees are the parts of the body that are most affected. The truck sits high, and all the weight comes down on your knees because we must constantly get in and out of the truck. To help, we make three points of contact, holding on to the rail, which takes some pressure off your knees. And if you don’t lift a box correctly, you can mess up your back. Our training is to bend and test the package’s weight before lifting it swiftly. We pivot up our whole body; never twist. And we use the handcart when required.

Do you wear shoes with special cushioning?

No. But we always wear boots, mostly Nike boots, and use insoles for cushioning.

You drive the entire day and walk a lot. On average, how many miles do you cover on foot a day?

It’s in double figures right now. I average 26 floors a day, walk approximately 14,000 steps, and still have several hours of work before I end my workday.

You don’t have to work out.

[Laughs] No.

Do you have time to listen to music in the hours you drive alone, or does your mind think of other things—like a to-do list?

We do have time, but we focus on concentrating on the job. We must train ourselves to block out things because people might walk across the street as we drive. Safety is a priority.

How do you manoeuvre huge packages, like a large refrigerator?

We have to be able to lift 100 pounds on our own. When the package is too heavy to carry, we use our handcarts. And if we are taking it up a floor minus elevators, we need help.

In the 19 years at your job, have you delivered anything odd?

Live fish. I don’t know how live aquarium fish can go through the journey.

Shawn, I have observed you over the years; your pleasant demeanour is inspiring.

Well, thank you.

You are welcome. What shapes your attitude?

My grandmother, who is from Columbus, South Carolina, raised me till I was 25 years old, and she taught me how to speak to people: “Even if they don’t speak well to you, you speak well because you never know who you might meet, and you never know who they are.”

It’s no wonder your language embraces “Mam.” You don’t hear people speak in this manner anymore.

I was raised to be kind to others; in return, people are kind to me.

I don’t recollect ever seeing you flustered.

[Laughs] I try not to show people that part of me, as you will feel uncomfortable. So, I keep those feelings within me and deal with the frustrations and anger later.

What do you enjoy doing in your downtime?

I enjoy spending time with my family, hanging out with my children, working in the yard and talking; that’s when we communicate. I also enjoy playing golf; I get my frustrations out—I hit the ball.

[Laughter]

Are children different in today’s times? And what values do you impart to your children?

Today’s kids are more aggressive and don’t communicate much. I try to instil in my kids the values I was taught—be kind to others, have manners, and respect people no matter how old they are. Say, “Yes, Sir and Yes, Mam.”

Are you strict with your children?

I am strict. Education is the biggest problem. You need an education to get a decent job. You will be left behind if you don’t learn something every day. It doesn’t matter what you learn, but learn. If it means you learn to add up to four in five new ways, then learn it. It’s a way to exercise your mind.

Do you regret not doing anything when you were young?

No, because if that was the case, I could have been in a different, worse place. I believe god controls my life, and he knows which mistakes I am supposed to make and how I am supposed to go so I can be a better person. I am happy where I am, and I am happy I did what I did when I was younger.

What would you like people to know about your courier job?

It’s [being a courier] a hard-working job, not a job that anyone should look down on. An ant tribe cannot thrive without the worker ants. Similarly, a car cannot move without wheels or engines, so a courier, dishwasher, or trash collector is a job for a reason. When you do the job, take pride like you are supposed to do it.

How should people treat other people?

It’s all right to say thank you to somebody. The world is going to the left because people are not kind to each other; it’s scary. So you do your part and be kind to just one person so that that person feels that and is kind to another person. Acknowledge people. Just say good morning. Say, thank you if they open the door for you or someone picks up something you dropped.

What are your dreams for the world to be inclusive of class, colour and religion?

I want people to have respect for each other. We don’t have that much time here [in life]. My religion is respecting people, being kind, and doing the right thing.

You drive alone all the time. In your downtime, do you prefer someone else to drive?

[Laughs] Sometimes. I always like to be in control of my driving. I can see what other people might not notice.

I hear you.

When do you have breakfast and lunch?

I eat my breakfast before I get to work. And lunch, I have it around 12:00 pm to 12.30 pm. I have an hour’s lunch break and a 10-minute break. We have to maintain time.

Why aren’t courier trucks air-conditioned?

We don’t have to air-condition because we shouldn’t stay in the truck long enough, and to have it will be a waste of money.

But you could suffer from a heatwave in the summertime?

Yes. We are informed about taking small breaks throughout the day. We drink a bottle of water for every shift, so that’s about seven to eight bottles of water. Plus, we drink Gatorade.

Do you have doors on your truck?

Yes, sliding doors. I leave it open in the summer and close it in the winter.

What are the nicer aspects of your job?

Meeting different people makes all the difference—good people make the day smoother, but when you don’t gel with people like an office, it makes for a long day.

You were willing to speak when I expressed my interest in learning about your work. Why?

For one, you are a good person. And second, you asked me graciously. Moreover, it’s good to know what different people do for a living and how they do their jobs.