You can read the other posts in the #OldPeopleNames series here: Part I, Part II and Part III
I highly recommend reading them first before reading this post, especially Part I.
While I was at home before the pandemic, I rarely used the name ‘Grandma’ for placing orders online.
And every time I used the name Grandma, the people who delivered the products just assumed that it was my mother who placed the order.
They never asked the question, “Who is Grandma?” They just asked my mother, “Grandma, right?” and gave her the product.
There were times when I considered explaining the situation to them. But an explanation is going to leave this incident in their memory for a long time, and I don’t want that to happen.
Ever since the pandemic, the delivery person usually leaves the product outside, and no one bothers about names. And that’s when I switched to the name ‘Grandma’ while ordering things online.
A few months ago, I ordered a mixer grinder online.
On the morning of the delivery, the person called me to ask for directions and to ensure my availability at home. This particular delivery was an open box delivery, where the person opened the package in front of us to make sure we received what we ordered.
When they arrived with the product, my mother was already outside. As I was the one who ordered it, I went outside too. The person didn’t ask any questions related to ‘Grandma’. They opened the box and took out the items one by one.
So the person assumed my mother was ‘Grandma’, though there were no questions asked. But hey, I was the person he was talking to on the phone that morning!
That wasn’t a question related to the order. So I answered…
It felt like I didn’t exist there. The person didn’t acknowledge my presence and couldn’t hear anything I was saying.
Very well, I decided to leave.
My mother didn’t know which number I used while ordering the product so the only person who knew the answer was me.
I wasn't expecting that question, though. The person could have asked, “Who is Grandma?” or “Why is this person answering the questions?” or something along those lines.
