More and more people have turned to online shopping because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love one-click shopping and the convenience of not having to step foot in the store?
And while YOU may be excited about your package…your delivery driver? Maybe not so much.
For one homeowner in Stone Mountain, Georgia who goes by @orangeking26 (OKQ) on social media, he seems to have hit the jackpot when it comes to disgruntled delivery drivers.
But instead of getting “fed up” with FedEx and UPS employees carelessly chucking his packages onto his porch, OKQ decided to fight back…with kindness.
Caught in the Act
For OKQ, having his packages tossed around isn’t just a random, isolated event. And he has the doorbell camera footage to prove it.
He shared a couple of video clips of the offending behavior on his social media channels, including TikTok and Instagram, where they quickly went viral, collectively garnering millions of views.
Now, granted, their actions could be due to any number of contributing factors, including the fact that his house appears to be at the end of a very long, steep driveway and that he asks them to deposit the packages in a complicated-looking lock box on his porch. Never mind that maybe they’re just having really, REALLY bad days.
Like this guy obviously was…
Regardless of the why, OKQ decided to address the situation head-on. Instead of getting angry, he decided to view the problem more humanely. After recognizing that the delivery people were probably exhausted from the heat and work, he came up with a solution.
It worked.
“Pretty much UPS has been throwing my packages when they deliver them and seeming very frustrated at delivering my packages,” he said. “So instead of fighting fire with fire, I decided to do something nice for them and be more understanding of the situation at hand — and it worked.”
Fighting Fire With Water (And Snacks)
OKQ decided to fill up a cooler with ice, water, and crackers and leave it on the front porch with a note written on the outside edges of the lid saying, “Snacks. Ice Water. Please take one. Thank you!!! 4 your hard work.”
Then he watched and waited.
It didn’t take long for him to see that showing empathy and compassion really can go a long way in flipping the narrative.
A series of clips that he captured shows multiple drivers accepting the thoughtful gift, and taking more care when delivering packages (including one of the UPS drivers who was originally caught on tape throwing packages.)
One even took the time to turn to the camera to say, “Thank you.” (Shout out to Amazon!)
Response to the Man’s Solution Was Divided
Commenters were conflicted. Many of them didn’t agree with OKQ’s solution, citing the fact that they felt that snacks shouldn’t be a requirement for someone “doing their job in a professional manner.”
However, others disagreed. Including both the Amazon delivery person seen in the video and a U.S. postal worker.
“Thank you guys, I’m the Amazon guy I appreciate you guys and thankful for the snacks. I take care of your packages as if they were my own.”
“I work for the USPS and leaving snacks really does make our hour. I will curse you for buying 40 pounds of cat litter. But then you hit me with a Gatorade and candy bar. We are good.”
And one commenter summed it up best when she wrote, “I like that your solution was compassion. That really speaks to what kind of person you are. Healed individuals remove self from other people’s frustrations and realize that it has nothing to do with themselves and everything to do with what the other person is dealing with to make them lash out like this.”
Compassion? Always wins.
OKQ’s solution has worked so well that it’s since gotten an upgrade. He now offers a variety of snacks including various potato chips, pretzels, cookies, and candy.
The Transformative Power of Kindness
Despite the critics, there is a lot to be said for choosing to be kind even in the face of hostility.
OKQ easily could have taken a different road. He could have retaliated with anger, or in his own words, fought “fire with fire.”
Instead, a simple gesture of understanding and compassion made a world of difference.
It’s a great reminder that a little kindness can go a long way in making the journey a bit easier for everyone.
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