Chapter 1
Just One More Delivery
Chapter 1 — The Easy Route
Mike arrived at work at 7:15 in the morning.
He was holding a coffee in one hand and his keys in the other.
He was tired.
Not I stayed up too late tired.
He was delivery-driver tired.
There was a difference.
Delivery-driver tired meant you could be completely exhausted before you had even made your first delivery.
Mike walked into the small dispatch office.
Sam was already there.
He was sitting at a desk, staring at his computer.
“You look terrible,” Sam said.
Mike looked at him.
“Good morning to you too.”
“I mean that in a friendly way.”
“Somehow that makes it worse.”
Sam smiled.
Mike walked over to the coffee machine.
He pressed the button.
Nothing happened.
He pressed it again.
Still nothing.
He looked at Sam.
“Is this thing broken?”
“No.”
“Then why isn't it making coffee?”
Sam shrugged.
“It doesn't like you.”
Mike stared at the machine.
“I haven't even started my route.”
“Exactly.”
Mike sighed.
He decided to get coffee somewhere else.
That was when Dan walked into the room.
Dan was their supervisor.
He carried a clipboard under one arm and wore the same confident expression he always wore when he had absolutely no idea what kind of day everyone was about to have.
“Morning, guys!”
Sam raised his coffee.
“Morning.”
Mike nodded.
“Morning.”
Dan smiled.
“Ready for another easy day?”
Mike stopped.
Slowly, he turned around.
Sam lowered his coffee.
The room became strangely quiet.
Mike pointed at Dan.
“Don't.”
Dan blinked.
“Don't what?”
“Say that.”
“Say what?”
“Easy day.”
Dan laughed.
“What? It's going to be an easy day.”
Mike looked at Sam.
Sam looked at Mike.
Neither man said anything.
Dan handed Mike a route sheet.
“Thirty-two deliveries.”
Mike looked at the paper.
“Thirty-two?”
“Yep.”
“That's not terrible.”
“See?”
Dan smiled.
“Easy.”
Mike closed his eyes.
“Why would you do that?”
Dan laughed and walked away.
Sam shook his head.
“You're doomed.”
Mike looked at the route.
The first delivery was only ten minutes away.
“Looks fine.”
The second was fifteen minutes away.
“Still fine.”
The third—
Mike frowned.
“What is this?”
Sam leaned over.
“What?”
“The address.”
Sam looked at the sheet.
“What about it?”
Mike pointed.
“There's no street number.”
Sam stared at it.
“Oh.”
Mike waited.
Sam shrugged.
“Maybe it's optional.”
Mike slowly looked at him.
“Street numbers are not optional.”
“Maybe it's one of those fancy houses.”
“What does that mean?”
“They don't need numbers.”
Mike laughed.
“That's not how houses work.”
He grabbed his keys.
“Whatever. I'll figure it out.”
He walked outside.
His delivery truck was parked in the lot.
Mike climbed inside.
He started the engine.
The GPS turned on.
Mike entered the first address.
The screen thought for a moment.
Then it said:
ROUTE NOT FOUND.
Mike stared at it.
“No.”
He tried again.
ROUTE NOT FOUND.
Mike leaned back in his seat.
“You've got to be kidding me.”
His phone rang.
It was Sam.
Mike answered.
“What?”
Sam's voice came through the phone.
“Did you put the address in yet?”
“Yeah.”
“And?”
“The GPS doesn't know where it is.”
Sam laughed.
“It's already started.”
Mike sighed.
“I haven't even left the parking lot.”
Sam laughed harder.
Mike looked through the windshield.
A delivery truck pulled out of the parking space beside him.
Mike waited.
Then another truck pulled out.
Then another.
Mike finally got an opening.
He shifted into drive.
As he pulled out of the parking lot, his GPS suddenly spoke.
“Turn right.”
Mike looked at the screen.
“Right where?”
The GPS repeated itself.
“Turn right.”
Mike looked ahead.
There was a road.
He turned right.
Immediately, the GPS said:
“Recalculating.”
Mike slammed his hands lightly against the steering wheel.
“Oh, come on!”
The GPS responded calmly.
“Make a U-turn when possible.”
Mike stared at the road.
“You told me to turn right!”
The GPS remained silent.
Mike shook his head.
“Fine.”
He drove another block.
Traffic was already backed up.
Mike looked at the clock.
7:34.
His first delivery was supposed to arrive at 7:45.
He sighed.
“Thirty-two deliveries.”
Cars barely moved.
Then he noticed something ahead.
A construction crew had closed one lane.
Of course.
Mike smiled bitterly.
“Easy day.”
His phone buzzed.
A customer message appeared:
“Where are you?”
Mike stared at the message.
He hadn't even made it to the first street.
He typed back:
“On my way.”
He paused.
Then added:
“Traffic.”
He hit send.
The customer immediately replied:
“What traffic?”
Mike looked through his windshield at the endless line of cars.
He looked back at the message.
Then he whispered:
“Apparently, imaginary traffic.”
And just like that, Mike's easy day had officially begun. 😂❤️
