Bonus: I Used to Be A Weed Courier

Summary

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

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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.

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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)

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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)

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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

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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.

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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.

Transcript

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[Emily McCreary]

Hey listeners, it's Emily McCreary, creator and host of the show. The people we usually feature on how to Be Anything are those currently making their living doing something unusual. But as I was reporting this season, I kept coming across folks who used to have really unusual jobs and I didn't want to leave them out because these are great stories. So we've put together a few bonus episodes that were dropping throughout season one. Okay, here's Lainey.

[Lainey]

So my name is Lainey and I used to be a bike courier for a weed surf in New York City. Mostly Brooklyn and Lower east side and Upper east side. This was I think end of 2021 and for about two years, a year and a half, two years it was.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

Post pandemic coming back into New York. So I feel like it's a hazy memory. Anything adjacent pandemic times.

[Lainey]

And that was really interesting too, delivering directly to people's homes. 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's Friend or Co-narrator]

Now I was doing a lot of.

[Lainey]

Odd jobs while like, doing freelance design work. So just kind of a mix of everything. And it was a great way to ensure I had rent. It paid really well. My base pay was pretty consistent. I feel like it was 2:50. And then if you had multiple runs, then you would get more based on that number. And then sometimes people would tip, but not enough, considering you would watch them.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

Tip their food driver. And then you would literally be in their home displaying things to them, and they just.

[Lainey]

But the people that gave you a seltzer, that was really lovely, too. I've gotten a bottle of wine from a sommelier. So we would meet at a certain place and load up, essentially, which there's a lot of counting what you have, like, being aware of what is in your box. And actually a great visual for it is the show High Maintenance on hbo.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

But you would load up your box, and the day would start.

[Lainey]

You'd load up your box, you check in. Then eventually you get to load and count everything and then go to your zone. And during these times, at the same time you're being messaged, like, where you're checking in at, because it's not always was the same place. And then you're being told which zone you're going to go to. Typically for me, it was primarily Lower east side, or my day would shift and I would end up going Upper east side. So I would bike or take the train with my bike because I wasn't.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

Ready to start yet, or bike across the Williamsburg Bridge and then just sort.

[Lainey]

Of sit and go to a park or a bookstore or like an art shop or gallery that I've been wanting to check out until I got a message that I had an address. Basically, that is what it was. I would get an address, and then I had to go. And I had, I think, 30 minutes to an hour, and anything longer than that, it docked me. And, you know, and then the customer would get a free item because of that. So the company essentially would lose money, but I think that would come from my pay. Then I would go to the client's house and then wait throughout the day to get more of these. Sometimes it was a lot and it was busy and it was hard to get that hour. And I liked those challenges. And then other times, I would just be going to many different shops and.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

Exploring, like, the neighborhood and sometimes being cold, sitting in a park so we.

[Lainey]

Sold flower, which is just straight up weed. We sold it branded and I mean it was sativa, indica and hybrid. Our customers needed it for different reasons. A lot to sleep. And so we also sold edibles which typically came in the form of gummies or chocolates or Rice Krispie treats. Sometimes that was a big one. People really liked edibles, especially for sleeping purposes. And at least my clients. And then vapes. And I'm trying to remember if there's anything else. I feel like sometimes we would get. Oh, like a tincture or something. I had a lot of really favorite customers or just people that I only ever encountered once that really shaped my life and have stayed with me since. But one of my all time favorites.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

And I still ask about him for anyone that I guys know that still works. There is this older man named Peter.

[Lainey]

And he had to be in his.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

Late 60s, 70s, you know, fit, slender.

[Lainey]

Man, great wild white hair, very curly. I think he was a bit of a hoarder. And he lived on the fourth floor. The lights would always be off and I remember the first time that made me a little nervous.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

But he seemed so.

[Lainey]

He had such a pleasant energy about him. And he had a little stool right.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

At the front of his door. He would have the door.

[Lainey]

He'd always be like waiting for you as you come up the stairs with, which was kind of pleasant. And then he would pull out a.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

Flashlight in this tiny hallway. And I tried not to look around because I felt like he wanted it to be private, you know, but I noticed just stacks of newspapers like at the end of this hallway. And I could tell on the other side there's more clutter. And so I was like, okay, so I understand why you wanted me at the door. I don't feel creeped out. He would shine a flashlight and he.

[Lainey]

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's Friend or Co-narrator]

And then eventually it just got to the point where I was just like, 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. And I just remember one time specifically.

[Lainey]

I think I was just having a stressful, like a tired, rough day anyway, and I'm coming up the stairs and.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

He said I was hoping it would be you. And it just like brightened my whole spirit.

[Lainey]

And there were a few one time customers that had that same essence about them that just really made you have faith in humanity.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

Not to be dramatic, but I think sometimes it's like in New York especially, meeting people that are just so genuine.

[Lainey]

And pure of hearts can feel a bit rare. There was another woman who also older, had a bunch of disco balls in her apartment and she was British and.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

She'S like, oh, I've even got one in the closet. And by a bunch, I mean full size, like four just hung beautifully in strategic places. But like, who are you?

[Lainey]

She lived Lower east side and then.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

We had a diverse range and age of clients, by the way. But I being in Lower east side and Upper east side, a lot of.

[Lainey]

Them were older or very well established, like penthouse apartments in the film industry or in tech or real estate. I mean, I always kind of like.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

Tried to pick up what they did because they're like, how do you live in this amazing apartment? Good for you though. And they were like for the most part incredibly humble and nice people.

[Lainey]

But there was another man who lived Upper east side and I always thought he should meet the disco ball Omen.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

But he had so many cellos and.

[Lainey]

Stand up bass instruments in his apartment and he had a bit of a shake and much older as well, probably like 70s, 80s. And 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's Friend or Co-narrator]

There's people using this as medicine. Like I kind of like felt, you know, but I actually saw it in real time and was like, this should definitely be legal. What are we doing?

[Lainey]

Then I had another customer too. She was much younger.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

She was telling me how she had.

[Lainey]

Had a breast cancer scare earlier in the week and she had gone to an appointment. She was feeling low after appointment so went to like try on bras or clothes or something and found $20 in the dressing room. And she's like, I'm going to buy weed later and I'm going to tip someone and pay it forward.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

And then 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? That's really special.

[Lainey]

You just shared that with me. So there was one woman who lives not too far from like Eastern Parkway where the Brooklyn Arts Museum is that sort of neighborhood. And she, I mean she. Bright orange walls, the coolest glasses. Like I just, I remember she had such cool patterns and then like really modern furniture. And I'm a furniture nerd, so I really appreciated that. She had classic design furnit and immediately talking about it. And she had the Eames Lounge and then I feel like she had the Vasily chair, but she had bright burnt orange wall and her decor was like such cool pieces, like little Nordic treasures and then Southwestern pieces. And you could tell she just traveled a lot. Like she had stacks of books that she clearly was reading. She had things she was working on.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

I think that was just one of the coolest parts too of the job is being able to be in people's.

[Lainey]

Homes like that and you know, relate.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

To people in such like immediate ways.

[Lainey]

I've had people ask my political beliefs. I had people ask about my dog. I had one reoccurring client whose dog I loved and vice versa. She would always ask about my dog, Margot. And then we would talk about like the dog parks, blah, blah, blah, you.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

Know, like small talk that eventually became.

[Lainey]

I don't know, a continued story between each other. There have definitely been a few moments where I felt frightened. A lot of that was usually actually that was only ever with men. Some of those moments were just. There's still remnants of other drugs on the table. There is also another man that was.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

A very professional looking gentleman who's not.

[Lainey]

A gentleman at all. I had to report him. He had his pants on, done, but was acting really chill about it.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

I just got back from work. But he also had a doorman and.

[Lainey]

Had notice of how long like it.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

Takes a while for me to get to your apartment. This is inappropriate. And he was blaring Russian opera and.

[Lainey]

Kept telling me about Pushkin.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

And it's just a weird timing right after the war started, like literally two days after war was declared between Russia and Ukraine.

[Lainey]

And it was very. Just a unique experience that I weaseled my way out of. I mean, literally like moved myself down.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

The couch to get out of his apartment. After I still sold him as one little tiny thing of gummy bears. But then I reported him.

[Lainey]

It's such an interesting job. And my co workers were often very not bitter, but they were, you know, it's a hard job in the elements. I definitely romanticized it. But some of my colleagues I feel like were not always appreciated by the company. You're like, you're out here in the elements and stuff. And I thought that was really interesting because even in a company that sells weed, there's still these like corporate hierarchies.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

And I thought that was really interesting.

[Lainey]

I have tried to do the math on the mileage and I feel like one day I realized I definitely have done easily like half marathon cycling, but it's so much easier, like, faster. I'm trying to think of my longest day. I think I ended up doing, like, 17 miles. 2017-20. I feel like one day I did 22, but that's because I had to go from Upper east side to Brooklyn. I looked so great.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

Like, I crop tops, like, hello, friend. And I still cycle a lot too.

[Lainey]

But I remember, I mean, I was just strong and I loved that.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

But, yeah, it's a great physical activity.

[Lainey]

How I left kind of ended up being a. I got into a bad bike accident with a city biker. If you're a city biker, don't bike.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

In the bike lane on the wrong direction while on your phone. I got really injured.

[Lainey]

I had a black eye for the.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

First time ever in my life, and I quit.

[Lainey]

I kind of gave a little bit of notice, and it's like, I don't think this is safe for me to do anymore. And I regret that because I didn't get an opportunity to say goodbye or.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

Oh, it's gonna make me tear up, I think especially with, like, Peter and some other people.

[Lainey]

But.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

Oh, I wasn't expecting to get emotional, actually. I don't keep up with my customers.

[Lainey]

I really, really regret that this job changed me because now if I meet someone that I really connect with, I'm like, what's your number?

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

Like, what's your Instagram like? It sounds like we're both busy people, but I would love to stay in touch. I also think I fully romanticize it, but it definitely did change me.

[Lainey]

I biked through parts of New York I never would have seen.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

It's a little corny, but I fell.

[Lainey]

In love with New York again and in a different way. I saw a lot of really hard things to see, too. You know, a lot of it was sitting in parks and really seeing the unhoused population and different temperatures and watching, you know, just New York is a condensed place. And then seeing so many good things and witnessing so much good, whether it's individual people or just throughout the city, that changed me. And then it also made me a stronger person in the sense or, like, more assertive person, because biking through Times Square and there's tourists and all of.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

The bike lanes, and you're going to hurt them and yourself if you don't yell, get out of the bike lane. So that took some time, and now I'm good about that and being brave, I feel like it just gave me.

[Lainey]

A confidence, but also a sort of perspective on humanity. And post Covid, that was really important.

[Lainey's Friend or Co-narrator]

I think for me.

[Emily McCreary]

How to Be Anything is created and written by me, Emily McCrary. Lily I. Johnson is our brain producer and Kaden Boffman is our Editor. Visual design is by Nika Semovic Fisher at laboud. We post outtakes and behind the scenes looks at how the show is made at our substack howtobenything.com you can also follow us on Instagram at How to Be Anything. We're an indie podcast, so show us your support by reading and reviewing the show wherever you listen. And if you like how to Be Anything, please text it to a friend.

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