Let's time-travel back to 2019. I was just laid off from my factory job (seasonal) and I was looking to try something different, something new, and figured I'd give it a shot while I had the spare time.
So I found a couple jobs I liked the descriptions of on Indeed, and after a few days I got a callback for a Delivery Driver gig.
It was within my skillset, and it was pretty well known local company. A hardware store with a lumber yard. Overall I felt pretty good about the job.
Until I met my manager.
First Red Flag: He reminded me of someone I didn't like. Another boss from way back when who was a weasly fucking hypocrite, so automatically I didn't like this new boss. We'll call him Biff.
Second Red Flag: “This walls.” He whispers as he writes down an offer on a pink post-it note. $16.50/hr. I thought about it for a minute, and gave him a nod and he's all smiles, then he adds on “Hey, keep that to yourself eh? We don't discuss each other's pay here.”…yeah…that line right there basically told me all I needed to know about this shit-show, but I was already there so I just went along with it.
Third Red Flag: “Hey everybody, I just want to introduce Benny. He's our new Helper.” Wait what? No.
“Delivery Driver.” I corrected him.
“Right ya, sorry. This is Benny. He's our new Driver Helper.” …yeah that realllly set off my bullshit alarm. I gave him a dirty fucking look and I'm 100% sure he saw it, because after that he stuck me on a truck, and pretty much ran away.
Fourth Red Flag: Breaks. So I'm not alone in the truck. I'm shadowing another driver
.. we'll call him Byff, and it's at this point I ask him about breaks/lunches.
“We take our breaks while we're driving.” Byff says. “Between deliveries and shit.”
“But that's not taking a break.” I reply. “That's driving. That's our job, that's what we get paid to do.”
“That's what I get paid to do.” Byff nodded to the road. “You can just sit back and enjoy the ride.”
“Fuck that.” I say. “I got hired to drive the big truck, and for $16.50. I'm driving the big truck.”
Byff's eyes go white. “You're gettin' HOW much?”
“More than you?” I guessed. Correctly….so yeah…
Fifth Red Flag: Every delivery was a shit show. Each and every one. From wrong directions, to addresses that didn't exist, to the wrong shit being loaded on the truck for the wrong people, the entire day was just constant fixing mistakes and apologizing to clients, by the time our day was done and we were back at the dock, I think we we're BOTH ready to take a long walk to greener pastures.
Which is what I did….actually I said fuck it and went on Unemployment. My 1 day working was the biggest Red Flag I've ever seen in my entired life, and I don't regret walking away one bit.