A parcel delivery in Noida has become the center of a much larger conversation online. What started as a routine pickup ended with a story that many people say reflects the reality of today’s job market. Shared on LinkedIn by social entrepreneur Kiran Verma, the post has resonated with professionals across industries and sparked discussions on layoffs, ageism, and the challenges of finding work later in life.
It started with an urgent delivery
Verma wrote that he had booked a Porter delivery to send an urgent letter within Noida because it cost just ₹40.According to him, the delivery partner who arrived appeared to be in his mid-50s. As Verma was on the first floor and was getting ready, he requested the rider to come upstairs. He wrote that the man climbed the stairs despite some difficulty, declined water, and completed the pickup with a smile.As he was about to leave, the rider reportedly said, “Aaj kaam hi nahi tha, wait kar raha tha kaam ke liye.”The remark stayed with Verma, who called him back for a conversation.
A long corporate career, followed by a layoff
During the interaction, the rider, identified by Verma as Manoj, allegedly stated that he had worked in the administration department at a leading insurance company for 14 years before being laid off during a job cut in 2023.Verma clarified that he could not independently verify the reason behind the layoff or assess Manoj’s work performance.He, however, recalled one comparison that the former employee made.
“Beta jab sabzi banate hai toh curry leaf sabse pehle daalte hai, par jab sabzi khate hai toh sabse pehle curry nikalte hai.”According to Verma, the statement reflected how Manoj felt after losing his job.
Why he turned to gig work
The LinkedIn post says Manoj also shared that finding another full-time job had become difficult because of his age and health. That eventually led him to work as a Porter delivery partner.Before the rider left, Verma said he paid him more than the delivery fee.Looking back at the interaction, he wrote, “Life is hard, real life situations are harder and the hardest is facing the reality that you wanted to do something but life don’t consider you worth giving work.”
Porter responds
The story quickly spread across LinkedIn, drawing reactions from professionals, recruiters, and startup founders.Porter also responded to the post, writing, “We thank you for sharing this heartfelt post and appreciating the effort showcased by our team.”
Many people said the story stayed with them
The comments section soon filled with reactions from people who said the interaction made them reflect on the realities of layoffs and employment.One user wrote, “This is a powerful story that highlights the undervalued contributions of experienced professionals.”Another commented, “Life is hard, people have battles we cannot see and sometimes we dont even understand. Kindness, compassion, a conversation is all a person needs to make it through the day, sometimes through a day that sucks so bad, they want to end it all. People need to stop being entitled and become more gentle, more forgiving, more empathetic.”A third user wrote, “This genuinely made me pause. Thank you for sharing this story.”Disclaimer: This article is based on a social media post. The Times of India has not independently verified the claims made. Thumb image: LinkedIn/Kiran Verma
