Angelyn Liem

Ryan has been delivering newspapers for three years, but the highlight of his day is when he gets to play with his 3-year-old daughter.

My Jakarta: Ryan, Newspaper Delivery Man

If you never missed reading the newspaper when you walk into your office in the morning, it’s because of people like Ryan, who delivers papers for a living. The 28-year-old from Sumedap, West Java, has shown that discipline is one of his best characteristics — a trait any responsible family man needs to have to survive in life.

How do you manage to get up at four every morning?

My body is already used to it. I don’t even use an alarm clock anymore. Even during holidays, I still get up at the same time. And even though my house is near Thamrin — I live near Kebon Kacang area — I still get up at four. When I first started with this kind of job, my parents would wake me up. Since I got married three years ago, I’d wake up almost by cue. And the mosque near our area makes it easier for me to get up.

What’s Jakarta like so early in the morning?

It’s very, very quiet. But a lot of accidents happen at this time. Because there are not a lot of vehicles on the road, motorists don’t bother to stop at intersections when they need to. They just go and the next thing you know, they had crashed.

Your work hours are only in the morning. What do you do the rest of the day?

Here’s how it goes. I go to my office [Anagho Agency] at 4 a.m. to prepare the newspapers I need to deliver. I bring around 150 copies? I’m not sure because I don’t count them. With the newspapers, I also bring with me bundles of magazines. From the office, I head off to Thamrin and Menteng and deliver the goods. When I finish delivering the newspapers, which is usually around 8 or 9 a.m., I work as an ojek [motorcycle cab] driver the rest of the day. In the evening, I just stay home and spend time with my family.

What do you like most about your job?

That I’m not being ordered around by people. That I have time to do stuff without too many people saying what I should or should not do. Like if I don’t feel like driving my ojek, I just go home and be with my family. Sometimes, I even get into the business of buying and selling motorcycles when I have spare time. Another thing I like about my job is my office provides me and my family with some of our needs. In one instance, Kompas gave my wife and I money when we had our baby. My boss has a good heart and she treats me like her son. Because of that, I don’t see myself looking for another job.

What do you hate most about your job?

When the elevators at the buildings I go to don’t work. Because that means I have to leave and hope that someone fixes them by the time I come back. Also, I don’t like it when customers call me up to say that they haven’t received their papers even though I had delivered it.

How does that happen?

Usually someone gets the newspaper and doesn’t return it to the owner. There was this instance when my boss told me to go back to this place where I had just delivered the papers, because the customer said he didn’t get them. Then just as I was about to go there, I got a call again. It was my boss and she said I didn’t need to go because the customer said his papers had been returned by some guy who had taken it.

Would you say you’re good friends with the security guards at the buildings to which you deliver the papers?

I know the security guards well, so they no longer ask me to show them my ID. I really like that.

Why is that?

Because I usually forget to get back my ID from them. I’d be on my bike ready to go but just when I’m about to zip up my jacket, I realize I still have the visitor’s tag on. So I have to go back, and it’s a lot of hassle.

Do you still throw papers onto the porch of a house like on TV?

I still do that, but only at a few houses because I deliver mostly at office buildings.

Was there ever a time that you threw the paper at the wrong house?

No [laughs]. Luckily it always lands on the right lawn.

Don’t your newspapers get wet when it rains?

When it rains, I have to look after the papers first, before myself. So even though I’m soaked, I make sure the papers are covered and safe.

Do you ever get sick from working in the rain?

Never. I guess it’s because I make sure I eat well during breakfast.

Do you ever read the newspaper?

I read Topskor most of the time. If it’s another newspaper, I just go straight to the sports section.

What sports do you play?

I love football but since I got married, I haven’t played the game. My life now is delivering newspapers, being an ojek driver and going home to my family. It’s been like that for three years now.

What would be the highlight of your day?

Spending time with my 2-year-old girl. I take her to the mall to play when I have time. Or to Citraland or Ragunan Zoo where they sell toys that I can afford to buy.

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