A chance encounter with our newspaper agent

It was just another Friday foggy morning. We had barely dragged ourselves off of the cosy comforts of the bed and kick-started the morning routine, when pandemonium struck.

The newspaper hadn’t arrived!

The sun was a few rays young, the clock yet to strike 6 and here was a father-son duo wondering why the newspaper was not at our doorstep, like it did every single day of the week — pandemic, fog, rain, heat, weekend notwithstanding.

And when it did appear a few seconds past 6 — routine was restored. A hot cuppa had been waiting to accompany the morning’s most enjoyable activity of browsing page after page of local and world news, views and opinions, sport and politics, stars and shows from across our world and some beyond.

With subscriptions done online and vouchers handed over at mechanical speed, that day we realised that none of us had actually seen the man, this faceless soldier, who had every morning, at the crack of dawn, through the days of lockdown, holidays, weekends, rain, sandstorm, fog or heat, ensured that we got our daily fix of news at our doorstep.

Who was he?

The following day, a Saturday, I woke up earlier than usual to get some work done. When I heard the sound of the newspaper hit the doorstep, I rushed to open the door, there was just paper but no one in sight. Who was he? Flash?

Surprisingly, he did make an appearance recently one late weekend morning, to give us the Gulf News vouchers. He went about his mechanical job of handing over the envelope before taking off to the next house. He seemed surprised when the husband inquired after him and asked if he would like to come in.

He reluctantly agreed, turned down our offer for tea but was happy to tell us about his 14 years of working as a newspaper agent for Gulf News.

When the streets of UAE are still blanketed in darkness, the city fast asleep and its residents locked in slumber, the newspaper agents are busy at work. His day typically begins at 1:30 AM and he usually wakes up before the alarm, for 14 years is enough time for his mind to be attuned to the fact that he shoulders the responsibility of ensuring that the newspaper’s readers get to savour their favourite paper with bed tea.

Before the city awakens

He smiles when I ask him where he disappears a second after the newspapers hits the doorstep. Ensuring that more than 150 of his customers get their newspaper on time every morning requires speed and time is critical for he needs to finish the job before the city awakens so that his task is not hindered by crowded lifts and busy elevators. Rainy days can be particularly troublesome but it hardly rains here and that is a good thing, he quips.

He goes on to explain that his job feels fulfilling when he sees some of his readers open the door to get their copy almost as soon as he has dropped the paper, sometimes as early as 3 AM. News is available on the phone, but surely there is still something magical about reading in methodical detail directly from the paper, he smiles.

Having peddled newspapers for years and having met some of the Gulf News’ editors who have been bringing stories from around the world to ardent readers in the UAE, he has always encouraged his children back home to read, for reading is knowledge, he ensures.

It felt good to meet the gentleman who smilingly assured us while leaving that we will get our copy on time every morning and that he would see us the following year when he comes by to drop the vouchers.

Do you know the man who brings your copy of the newspaper every morning at the break of dawn?

— Pranitha Menon is a freelance writer based in Dubai. Twitter: @MenonPranitha