Monday, 17 March 2014

Discovery of the week: Delivery Men



Last week we ordered a bed. We have been sleeping on the floor or in the tiny single bed for so long that it forced us to use the terrifying site that is G-market. As far as websites go it is a confusing mess. We navigated our way around it very slowly and took the plunge.
We ordered the bed on the Saturday and hoped it wouldnt arrive two sizes too small.
We transferred the money on the Sunday (yes you dont use cards on this site) and waited to see when it would arrive. To our surprise the very next day we received a text message saying it was on its way. At 9pm that night the bed would be arriving. We hadnt a clue how to get rid of the old bed but who cared! We could finally have a mattress to sleep on.
Unfortunately 60 mins after the set arrival time there was still no sign of the delivery and we were starting to lose hope. That was until a tiny man turned up in his truck.
This man seemed to possess super powers. He refused help and carried an entire flat packed double bed upstairs. We saw him with 4 boxes on his back which he left at the door and went back for the rest. Trying to be helpful we attempted to move these inside the flat but its safe to say we failed. This tiny man had carried four of these up 3 flights of stairs and we couldnt even pick up one. We were impressed. We were even more impressed when he next appeared carrying a double mattress all by himself. He really was super human.
The two of us were happy to have a new bed in our room and were talking among ourselves about the tools we might need to require to build this contraption when suddenly this small hero started stripping off the sheets from our old bed. We were slightly confused but too excited that he might be helping us get rid of the old piece of rubbish that we didnt say anything. Within 10 minutes he had disassembled and moved our old single bed down and out of the apartment building.
We knew we had to pay this guy 20,000 won for delivery and that price had never seen like such a good deal that was until the crescendo of this delivery service. Just when we were getting to low bow and give our broken Korean thank yous a small Stanly knife was whipped out. I knew it had been too good to be true. He was going to bring us a bed and then rob us of everything we owned. Instead he swiftly turned and started opening up the flat packs. Now as a person who is use to lugging boxes around IKEA on trolleys that never work and then someone who spends hours after working out which screw is 6B and which is 8E seeing someone assemble my flat pack bed with such ease was a beautiful thing. Almost like art.
Instantly my British brain kicked in. If this guy was in my house for more than 30 seconds he needed a cup of tea (or coffee since we are in Korea). Despite my best Mrs. Doyle impressions the delivery man gave a curt no thank you without even looking up, and carried on. I went to the kitchen to make myself a drink, not because I was thirsty but because the awkwardness of just watch a man build something without helping was taking over. I swear I was gone for about 2 minutes before I turned and this wondrous man was bowing to me, putting on his shoes and carrying out all of the boxes (which he took with him)
Lee and I looked at each other stunned and unbelieving of what had just happened. 10 minutes ago we had been watching Archer episodes and now we had a brand new (really nice) double bed and side table.oh he assembled that too.
Although a little late this magical man has made it a certainty that we will be ordering furniture online again.
The only thing left for us to do was buy a 10,000 won sticker from our local Dong office (government office) and stick it on the bed outside. Within one hour it was taken away and out of our lives.
Long live the Korean Delivery service. 

No comments:

Post a Comment