Carrier

When I started my mail delivery job, they equipped me with a new development in mail delivery: A mail carrier, a sort of partitioned bag which you wear around your waist to easily carry the mail around and have all the letters within hand's reach.

It's become such a natural part of work that I hardly notice it, but it commonly invites jokes such as 

'You carrying a child in that?' or 'Is that a bulletproof vest?' I don't really mind, though, and often shoot back with 'We treat the mail with just as much care!' or 'Well, you never know what could happen in this city.'

Saving grace

The worst days can really bring out the best in people. The summer heat has made some workdays miserable or even dangerous. Fortunately, almost everyone sympathizes. On every hot day, I get offered water, drinks and ice cream by dozens of kind people. I don't think I would've made it through the worst days without their help.

Wealth divide

As a mailman assigned to no specific route, I deliver mail all over the city. You really start to notice which districts are inhabited by the wealthy and which by the poor, relatively speaking. Both the poorest and richest neighborhoods are furthest from the city center, with the city center appropriately representing the middle ground.

I wonder if it's like that in other cities. There's no other city I know even half as well as this one.

Fortnite vlogging

Two young children walked up to me while I was just starting on a delivery route. One of them about 6 years old and the other even younger. 'Do you play Fortnite?' the older one asked. 'I've played it a few times,' I said. The next question seemed even more random. 'Are you a vlogger?' I just said no, but was too flustered to explain all the stuff I do put out on the Internet.

I think the vlogger question probably surprised me more than the Fortnite one.

Gratitude

On difficult days, I always feel grateful for people who have easily accessible mailboxes, clearly indicated addresses, and as a bonus, have their names clearly visible on the door. They make my work a lot easier and reassure me I'm in the right place. After the amount of samey, blatantly numberless doors I've had to put mail through, I'm never taking good old-fashioned clarity for granted again.