Podcast Summary: How to Be Anything – Bonus: I Used to Be A Weed Courier
Host: Emily McCrary
Guest: Lainey
Release Date: September 24, 2025

Episode Overview

In this bonus episode of How to Be Anything, host Emily McCrary sits down with Lainey, a former bicycle courier for a New York City weed delivery service. The conversation provides an intimate, firsthand look at what it's like to deliver cannabis door-to-door in Brooklyn and Manhattan, especially in the immediate post-pandemic era. Lainey shares her unique experiences, interactions with customers, adventures through the city, and how the job changed her perspective on New York and herself.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Becoming a Weed Courier Post-Pandemic

• Timeline & Motivation: Lainey worked as a weed courier from late 2021 for about 1.5–2 years, primarily to make rent while juggling freelance design gigs.
• Pandemic Context: Many customers were still isolating; Lainey was sometimes the only person her clients saw all week.
  • "And some people still were worried about the pandemic. Rightfully so. And you might be the only person they ever saw for like, a whole week's time. So I needed to pay rent in New York City." (Lainey – 02:45)

2. How the Job Worked

• Compensation: Reliable base pay (~$250 plus extras for multiple runs), variable tips.
• Daily Routine:
  • Meet at a location to pick up goods, count inventory, and wait for delivery assignments.
  • Delivery zones commonly in Lower East Side and Upper East Side, with occasional downtime spent exploring local neighborhoods.
  • Delivery windows were strict, with late arrivals cutting into pay.
• Product Offering:
  • Sativa, indica, and hybrid flower.
  • Edibles (gummies, chocolates, Rice Krispie treats), vapes, and tinctures.
• Customer Demographics:
  • Broad range: older adults, professionals, artists, and creatives.

3. Memorable Customers & Human Interactions

• Peter:
  • Elderly man, bright hair, "bit of a hoarder," always tipped generously and apologized for the stairs.
    • "He would always say, I just want your brightest green flower. And then he would immediately make up his mind and then tip you $20 and apologize profusely for the stairs." (Lainey – 07:01)
  • Developed a meaningful, uplifting rapport.
• Disco Ball Lady:
  • Older British woman with numerous, full-sized disco balls in her apartment.
    • "By a bunch, I mean full size, like four just hung beautifully in strategic places. But like, who are you?" (Lainey’s Friend – 08:03)
• Upper East Side Musician:
  • Elderly man with multiple cellos; used weed to manage Parkinson’s and continue playing.
    • "He said he smoked weed to help with his Parkinson's so he could play instruments. And I was like, that's really incredible." (Lainey – 08:50)
• "Pay It Forward" Tip:
  • Young woman, post-cancer scare, tipped Lainey $20 found in a dressing room as a gesture of gratitude and healing.
    • "I'm tearing up at this point and I'm just like, can I just give you a hug? That's really special." (Lainey’s Friend – 09:36)
• A Glimpse Inside New York Homes:
  • Saw unique interiors (eclectic, traveled, well-designed), built brief but meaningful connections, observed day-to-day life.
    • "I think that was just one of the coolest parts too of the job is being able to be in people's homes like that and you know, relate to people in such like immediate ways." (Lainey’s Friend – 10:26)

4. Challenges and Dangers

• Occasional Frightening Situations:
  • Uncomfortable moments, mostly with male customers: drug paraphernalia, inappropriate behavior, and one man “not a gentleman at all” (pants undone, inappropriate conversation).
    • "He had his pants on, done, but was acting really chill about it...that's inappropriate." (Lainey – 11:12)
• Corporate Hierarchy & Job Discontent:
  • Despite the casual nature of weed delivery, the company had standard corporate structures; some coworkers complained of lack of appreciation and tough working conditions.
    • "Even in a company that sells weed, there's still these like corporate hierarchies." (Lainey – 12:18)

5. The Physical Toll

• Cycling Distances:
  • Frequently biked up to 17–22 miles a day across boroughs; appreciated newfound physical strength and activity.
    • "I definitely have done easily like half marathon cycling...one day I did 22, but that's because I had to go from Upper east side to Brooklyn. I looked so great." (Lainey – 12:25)

6. Leaving the Job & Its Aftermath

• Reason for Exit:
  • Bad bicycle accident with a city biker; serious injury led to quitting, unable to say goodbye to her favorite customers.
    • "I got into a bad bike accident...I don't think this is safe for me to do anymore." (Lainey – 13:07)
    • "I didn't get an opportunity to say goodbye..." (Lainey – 13:23)
• Lingering Impact:
  • Learned to value fleeting connections, now more proactive about staying in touch.
  • Gained a new appreciation for New York and grew more confident/navigate the city assertively.
    • "I fully romanticize it, but it definitely did change me." (Lainey – 13:51)
    • "I biked through parts of New York I never would have seen...I fell in love with New York again and in a different way." (Lainey – 14:04, 14:10)
    • "It just gave me a confidence, but also a sort of perspective on humanity. And post Covid, that was really important." (Lainey – 14:56)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On customer relationships:
  "It's always such a delight to see you, Peter. And I could tell it really made his day, but it also really was, it made my day." (Lainey – 07:10)
• On emotional moments:
  "She gave it to me and like teared up. And I'm tearing up at this point and I'm just like, can I just give you a hug?" (Lainey – 09:36)
• On personal transformation:
  "How I left kind of ended up being a...I didn't get an opportunity to say goodbye...This job changed me because now if I meet someone that I really connect with, I'm like, what's your number? Like, what's your Instagram?" (Lainey – 13:23, 13:48)
• On seeing NYC differently:
  "I biked through parts of New York I never would have seen...I fell in love with New York again and in a different way." (Lainey – 14:04, 14:10)
• On post-pandemic perspective:
  "It just gave me a confidence, but also a sort of perspective on humanity. And post Covid, that was really important." (Lainey – 14:56)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:47] – Emily introduces the bonus episode concept and Lainey
• [02:18] – Lainey starts her story: job description and background
• [03:54] – How the pickup, delivery process, and incentives worked
• [05:22] – Types of products delivered and customer stories begin
• [06:07] – Standout clients: Peter and others
• [09:36] – Emotional "pay it forward" tip and hugs from clients
• [10:26] – On seeing diverse NYC interiors and building quick bonds
• [11:09] – Scary delivery moments; reporting inappropriate customers
• [12:25] – Biking distances and the physical nature of the job
• [13:07] – Bike accident, quitting, and parting regrets
• [14:04] – Impact: new affection for the city and increased confidence

Tone & Storytelling Style

Lainey’s recollections are warm, honest, and often wistful, with a mix of humor and vulnerability. The conversation drifts between fondness for quirky customers, the camaraderie (and sometimes the frustration) of the job, the grind and romance of cycling New York’s streets, and the very real risks that came along with it. The episode is candid—sometimes funny, sometimes heartfelt, always curious.

For listeners or readers, this episode offers an unforgettable firsthand perspective on a job most will never see, full of vibrant characters, New York grit, and big, small moments of human connection.