Ultimately, Schutrups came to the realization that it was a battle against the odds. “I earn it with pennies and you spend it with thousands. You have to put away a lot of cartons of milk to pay for it all. If you add and subtract everything, you are almost working for nothing.”
Schutrups did not immediately want to throw in the towel. “You always think that things will get better. There will be another time. But it won’t come again.” At one point he sat down with the accountant. “He didn’t tell me to stop. But he did say: be wise.” Two weeks ago he made the decision. His customers have now been informed.
Today he makes another tour through the region, this time he visits Exloo. When he arrives at Gea Hulshof, the horn sounds loudly. Gea is already arriving there, with a wrapped present. “After 18 years, this is no longer appropriate,” she says. “It saves me a long walk. The contact has always been good and nice. I think it’s a shame, but I understand their choice.” Schutrups, visibly emotional, gratefully accepts the present. Harm Meringa, another customer, is having a cup of coffee. Meringa also thinks it’s a shame. “He was the only one I did my shopping with.”
Schutrups is a bit dazed by all those words of praise. “I’m going to miss it very much. I always laughed, screamed and roared. Always craziness in that cart.” After New Year’s Eve, he focuses on his two other industries: catering and meal service. In the latter role he returns to people’s homes. Although it will be different, Schutrups is happy with it. “Without it I would end up in a black hole.”