The Gate Code Gambit: When a Stanford PhD Delivers Flowers

Running a flower business means you wear many hats — designer, stylist, scheduler, negotiator, therapist, and, occasionally, logistics coordinator.
And sometimes… your delivery driver is also a Stanford PhD in statistics.

This is one such story.

Scene One: The Estate

It was a simple enough request — a flower delivery to a grand estate.
My husband (yes, the one with the doctorate) kindly offered to handle it, armed with directions, a name, and a beautiful arrangement. What he didn’t have was... the gate code.

No signal. No way to reach the recipient. No intercom in sight.

He sat there for a moment, contemplating the dilemma in true academic fashion.

And then — he started guessing.

Scene Two: The Algorithm of Hope

First attempt?
My favorite classic: 1234.
(No luck.)

Next?
The house number.
(Still no response.)

Finally — a spark of inspiration.
Why not try the last four digits of the recipient’s phone number?

He entered them.
The keypad blinked.

And just like that, with a quiet mechanical hum... the gates opened.

Scene Three: Flowers and Statistics

The flowers were delivered, the estate admired, and the mission accomplished — all thanks to a little statistical reasoning, some calm under pressure, and a dash of luck.

He even got a generous tip for his efforts.

And while I often joke that his PhD isn’t exactly relevant to my world of petals and vases, that day, I had to admit:

A doctorate in statistics can, in fact, get you through locked gates.

Literally.