My Night at the Pizzeria

I wasn’t going to the Pizzeria today until 5 pm when I was to deliver an Italian Cream Cake. I have been at the Pizzeria every day for over two months, ever since I injured my knee. Most days I worked the register because that was all I could do. We sat a high bar-type stool at the register and I would sit there and ring in the patrons orders. We started out with a cash register and order tickets I had to write out. Then the POS (point of sale) system came on line and life got easier at the register. A touch screen allowed me to just touch the entrée, or pizza. I could touch Spaghetti and Meat Balls or a Primo Pizza. Add two sodas and the total was displayed. Very nice. BUT, I wasn’t going to be there today!

I had plans. I was going to fix a leaky water faucet. I was going to fix my ovens in the kitchen. I was going to make that Italian Cream Cake and a dessert for the social at the Church tonight. And I was going to the social at the Church this evening with some of my grandchildren. So, the Pizzeria was the furthest thing from my mind. I was working on the oven when the phone rang. It was Chad. “Can you come out and deliver an order for me at One Killeen Center?” Reluctantly I agreed. Mostly because I needed to go to the Pizzeria and pick up some lard for the cake, and the delivery was near the house, and I could use the tip for spending money. So, off to the Pizzeria I went.

I arrived and loaded the order into the car, along with a tub of lard (I always thought that was my nick name growing up.) But, as I was leaving, Chad asked me to come back because there was another order to be delivered to Sears at the Mall. I said okay. I delivered the lunch to the office in the One Killeen Center building and got stiffed on the tip. Returning to the Pizzeria, I was willing to just cover the register if Chad made the delivery to Sears. Getting stiffed once in a day is once too often. BUT, I acquiesced and took the delivery to Sears. I got a good tip this time. I took the payment back out and put it in the register and headed for home.

At home I jumped right in and made that Italian Cream Cake and the dessert for the social. Because I had grandchildren at the house, I called Chad and ordered a couple of pizzas for dinner. I told him that I was on a tight schedule and would pick up the pizzas at 5 when I delivered the cake. And I did. And all went well. We had pizza for dinner and I was about to go change my clothers for the social. Then the phone rang.

“Dad, I really need you out here. I have 10 tickets hanging and a line”. So Jannie went to the social, and I went to the Pizzeria. Now, I am not complaining, mind you. I was only there for an hour or so and still made it to the social before it was over. But my experience there tonight is the subject of this writing. I was in awe tonight at what I saw. I have worked there for months, but tonight was pure poetry in motion. It was a symphony being conducted by a master conductor. Chad was in his element.

He had the line working, and was even short staffed. But he directed like a master. “Three eggplant parms all day,” he shouted as the order was coming up from the printer. “How is that Bruschetta coming?” or “Bread coming out of the oven”. Then he announces to the “audience” (dining room), “Spaghetti and meatballs, Chicken Parmigiana for Richard”. This went on for the entire time I was there. For me, it was worth the time I was there to see this production.

I don’t mean to make it sound like this is the exception to the rule, because this goes on every night at the Pizzeria. Just that tonight it just struck me as something beautiful to behold. As I said, Poetry in Motion.