A terrible reminder that there are lunatics everywhere: Prosecutors have charged a FreshDirect deliveryman with making obscene calls to Manhattan women who ordered groceries online. Bronx resident Erik Reynolds called six female FreshDirect customers, saying things like "I'm going to come up and rape you" and telling one eight months pregnant woman he knew what she was wearing, as well as her address and phone number. Reynolds had also called another eight months pregnant woman. The criminal complaint quotes Reynolds as saying, "I was just doing it for fun. I like to play around on the phone. When I make deliveries to women, I like to flirt and then I call them to play around. I shouldn't have done it." Reynolds' wife tells the Post, "Right now, he's very upset. Him and his co-workers were trying to kill some time playing jokes. But he's the only one being blamed because the calls were made on his cellphone." Gothamist think Reynolds and his wife need a serious lesson in what is and isn't fun. This news calls into question FreshDirect's employee screening procedures: FreshDirect said a nationwide search showed no signs of Reynolds' ex-con past (two felony convictions for possession of stolen property and attempted burglary). Reynolds' lawyer pointed out Reynolds' clean record since 1993, but prosecutors noted that Reynolds used fake Social Security numbers to get around screening procedures. Gothamist would like to suggest that people get Caller ID, and only answer phone numbers they recognize; if there are obscene phone calls, call up Verizon or 311 to see what other measures you should take to have calls traced or blocked. As for dealing with leering delivery people, we suppose you could ask a neighbor or friend to help out, or wear baggy clothing and no make-up, but the whole situation is such a distasteful invasion of privacy, it's upsetting to think you need to live your life very differently. But you do what you can to be careful.
