I'm picking up food for someone. I go to the address. It's a bland building in a strip mall with a logo printed on 8.5x11 and and taped to the window. There's three cars in the parking lot. There's no menu. Just a desk. I'm here to pick up the order for John. I'm given a bag that smells like it's full of deep fried ambrosia. I only briefly see the arm of the person handing it to me. No words are spoken.
I'm picking up food for someone. The restaurant is called Bait and Tackle. I pull up to a Hooters. Was the address wrong? No, the app tells me. It's in the Hooters. There's a restaurant hiding in the restaurant. I get a second order, for chicken, from a different restaurant. It's in the Hooters. I get a third order, for a beating heart, from a different restaurant. It's in the Hooters. I'm in the Hooters. I go deliver to an apartment. I drive for a half hour. I get to the apartment. It's in the Hooters.
I'm picking up food for someone. I go to the address. It's a grocery store. The delivery isn't for groceries. I go and ask the cashier where Tony's is. The cashier says "Let me help you" while their eyes say "run." I'm lead to the back. There's three tables here. The chairs are on the tables. They're locked in place. There's a window behind the tables. I hear sizzling. A voice asks who I'm picking up for. I give a name. The name is theirs now. I am given a brown bag by something I tell myself is a hand. It was not a hand. I tell myself it is. The bag is covered in grease stains. I tell myself the stains are grease. It was not grease.
I'm picking up food for someone. I go to the address. It's a home. Just a house. There's a sign in front. I wonder if this is safe or legal. I go to the front door. Do I go in? Do I knock? The mailslot opens. A voice asks me who I'm picking up for. It's the same voice. They've all had the same voice. I show them the name. There is a growl. Is that a dog? It is a house. It must be a dog. I'm given a brown bag through the mail slot. It's the same brown bag I left at the last house. My fingerprints are on it.
I'm picking up food for someone. The restaurant is called Burger Den. I pull up to a Denny's. Was the address wrong? No. It's in the Denny's. I go into the Denny's. It's another Hooters. I get a second order. It's for a sandwich from a place called Melt Down. It's in the Denny's. I get a third order. It's for a 𒂍𒀀𒉌𒀭𒈠𒋮 from a place called 𒂄𒄀. It's in the Denny's. I cancel the order. I'm ready to go home.
There's a brown bag on my doorstep. My name's on it. My fingerprints are on it. I gave a name. Did I give the customer's name or my own? I open the bag. My name's in it. I left it. They gave it back. I sigh in relief, and turn around.
I'm in the Denny's.
