Els, reading your account was hardcore deja vu for me. I worked for Domino's Pizza for 3 years. I was unfortunately too young to be a delivery driver--technically I was too young to be working at all in that environment (95 degrees was the cutoff I think, and the store usually ran about 105) for the first year, but what Child Labor Law enforcement folks don't know won't hurt them, right? Anyway, trust me, driving is at least a little better than being an insider. Once you get a little more familiar with your delivery area you'll get reasonable tips.
The thing about my experience was, in both of the stores I worked in, my best friend and I were the only two kids working there. Every other employee was 30+, and most were supporting families. One guy was semi-retired and did it for the camaraderie, but he was weird.
The food service industry sucks, but it does get a little better with experience. After awhile, you'll be adept at folding boxes without getting cut, you'll know that area of town like the back of your hand, and hopefully you'll be a little more relaxed throughout the evenings, which will help with the arthritis. And at the very least, you'll know you're working your ass off for a good cause: your family.
If you can, get one of the insiders to teach you how to toss dough. I can still do it, and it's a great party trick.
