Deliveries

I almost became an agoraphobe this week. But that's not the right word. It wasn't that I was afraid to go outside of my apartment, it was that I simply didn't want to. I have all I need in the 1307--a comfy bed (two, actually), a hot shower (again, two), Bible, books, journals, computer, phone. What else does one need?

Oh yeah...food.

Not a problem in this country! I can call a phone number and have groceries delivered to my door! (I have a gazillion sheets of paper shoved under my door a week letting me know which grocer is the best to call...) I can call Subway, Pizza Hut, KFC--they all deliver! Everyone delivers! No need to ever leave the apartment again! (Okay, I know I need to leave. Things like work, pay bills, be sociable. I know. I KNOW. I'll be better this week, I promise).

So something I can't quite figure out, is how they know where to deliver. While there are streets, and they are named...nobody knows the street names. The first time I called to have something delivered, they asked me where I lived. I told them the address. They asked me which grocery store was closest to me as a landmark.

"There isn't one. I live above the post office."

That didn't help.

I tried saying the name of the building, which I've seen embroirded on the watchman's uniform. Now, I must clarify. The name of the building is NOWHERE on the building. NOWHERE. I was making a lucky guess that the name on the shirt is my building's name, and not HIS name. But as soon as I said it, the guy at the pizza delivery place says, "Oh, great. I know where that is." (Actually, he mumbled something that was supposed to be English, and I interpreted to be a positive response.)

HOW? How can they not understand my perfectly spoken English, but understand my butchering of an Arabic name? How can he know the name of the building with no name on it? Not only that, but I've noticed that many buildings have the same name. I figured I'd wait an hour, and if my food didn't come I'd eat popcorn for dinner. But 15 minutes later, my doorbell rang. How do they do that?

I'm mystified.