Be Cool to the Pizza Delivery Guy
~Chapter One~
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Pinky. Ring. Middle. Pointer.
Ticking of a clock.
6:14 pm.
A sigh.
Then some more tapping.
Tap.
"Ugh!" I groaned, letting my head slam down on the counter. "I'm going crazy here!"
A distant laugh came from the back room, accompanied by the clatter of metal pans and running water. The laughing became more pronounced, and I slowly turned my head to the side, cheek squished against the counter. Standing behind me, wiping his hands on a towel, was Terry. At the sight of me, he shook his head, smiling amusedly.
"C'mon Devan, stop being a drama queen."
I let out a huff at his words, consequently blowing away a light brown strand of hair from my face. "I'm not being a drama queen. I'm just sick of standing here with nothing to do."
Throwing me a pointed look, Terry replied exasperatedly, "I told you a few minutes ago, if you're so bored, you can start sweeping the floors for me." I slowly shrunk behind the counter in dread. "Just because we still have two hours left until closing, it doesn't mean you can't help me get a head start on cleaning up the pla- Devan! Stop trying to hide!"
Smiling sheepishly, I comically started reappearing over the counter as if I was walking up a flight of stairs. Terry's lips quivered slightly. I let out a triumphant laugh at the smile he couldn't fight away.
"Okay, okay. You don't have to help me clean up." He shook his head, now grinning. "And to think I was going to let you plug in your iPod to the speakers while you swept."
At the sound of "iPod" and "speakers", my ears perked up in excitement. "Really?!" I shouted, practically leaping over the counter towards him. He nodded smugly, knowing he got me there. Sal doesn't allow any music other than a select few Italian songs to play in his pizzeria. Which was totally insane if you ask me. Music should never be limited in such a way!
It was only on days when Sal doesn't come in that us employees risk playing our own music. But none of us dare doing it without Terry's permission, since he's the manager and the one that would take the fault. Not that Sal was so strict as to punish anyone over something so stupid. The only time I ever caught him in the pizzeria while there was different music playing, he didn't do anything but laugh, comment that "this is an Italian pizzeria, so we should be playing Italian music!", and then put his CD back in the stereo.
The waitresses liked to scare the newbies into believing Sal would completely blow up at them and fire them on the spot, even weaving tales about some unfortunate soul that kept pushing his luck by constantly changing the music. But I had a hard time believing that anyone could push Sal's button so much that he would fire them in anger, even when I first started here and barely knew the man.
When we do change the music, however, it's usually after closing time while we're cleaning up, and rarely during business hours. So I just had to jump at Terry's offer.
"To the broom!" But firstly, I needed to get my iPod set up.
I had a wide variety of music on my iPod, loving just about every song in any genre ever created. I settled on 'Fancy' by Iggy Azalea, my latest obsession on the radio. But mainly because it would drive Terry mad, him being a hard core alternative rock fan.
Typically, I always found myself at a stalemate when listening to music. To sit back and chill to the music with a little head bobbing and finger and foot tapping, or to stand up and dance like a madwoman until exhaustion finally overtakes me? That is the quest-e-on! There is just something about lazing on my butt all day chilling to the music that make the world feel right... But often the situation calls for motivated actions and a song like 'Fancy' is just the thing to get me in the mood!
So with a broom and lobby dust pan in each hand, I danced my way across the dining floor.
After nearly twenty minutes of this, a shrill ring disturbed the techno beats playing through the speakers. I was halfway to the phone before I realized I wouldn't be able to hear the caller over the music. I made a mad rush to the stereo, twisted the knob, and then dashed back to the phone, practically sliding across the counter to grab it faster.
"Hello, Faro's Italian Pizzeria. How may I help you?" I panted out into the transmitter.
After jotting down the delivery order for a typical meat-lovers pizza, I slammed the phone onto the hook and skipped to Terry in the back room office, waving the paper in his face.
"We've got an order," I sang, finally getting him to look away from the computer screen.
"It's about time," Terry replied, taking the slip and getting to work.
I wasn't big on making the pizzas, since my job was mainly delivery, but everyone pretty much did everything here. Especially on slow days like today when we only have two or three people working. Cooking wasn't exactly my forte either. I don't quite understand why I never got into cooking, seeing as I was real big on eating. Maybe it had to do with my laziness? Who knows for sure? Whatever it is, I was just glad it didn't extend so much to making pizza. Otherwise this job would be slighter hard than it has to be. I think it might have to do with the fact that pizza doesn't call for complete exactness like so many complex recipes out there.
Unlike most pizzerias, especially corporate ones, Faro's made everything from scrap and only bought the freshest ingredients possible. Now, as much as I love and support that, I completely suck at rolling the dough out. Even after working here for months, I always end of leaving that part to someone else. So once Terry rolled out the dough and spread the sauce, I threw on the toppings and slid the pizza into the oven with a metal peel.
While it cooked, I went over the directions once more, making sure I knew the way. Nodding to myself when I got it down, I pulled on my jacket and stuffed my hair into my hat so it wouldn't blow around my face.
"Is it done yet?" I shouted to Terry.
"Almost! Just give me sec."
Finally, he came out from the back, steaming box of pizza in his hands ready to go.
"Sure you have the directions down?" Terry asked as I placed the box in the delivery bag.
"Yup."
"You have the bag of change?"
"Uh huh."
"What about gas? Is your bike good to-"
"Terry," I interrupted, giving him a look. "I've got it. Gosh, don't know why you have to do this every time we're slow. If we we're busy, you would just throw the box in my hands and tell me to beat it."
He rubbed his neck, looking sheepish. "Sorry. It's just, when we're this slow, there really isn't anything for me to, well, manage," he chuckled.
"You can always close early," I sung my suggestion, flashing him a hopeful look. "I told you my mom is holding a dinner for the family tonight. She's going to be mad if I don't make it."
"That's not my problem. You shouldn't have taken Mark's shift on your day off then, huh?"
I gave him the 'wounded puppy' face, clasping my hands together under my chin. "I know, Terry. But please? Can you really blame me for wanting to be a good person who helps her co-workers out in their time of need? Can you?" Of course, I wasn't going to mention Mark's time of need was really an impromptu skiing trip with his friends up north and that he offered to buy me the latest CD of one of my favorite bands if I took his shift tonight.
As always though, I could see Terry failing to ignore my pleading. With a sigh, he relented, "Well, we'll see how it goes when you get back, okay?"
Grinning, I saluted him. "Okey dokey, then."
My motorbike rumbled quietly as I drove it down the street. I knew the city like the back of my hand, having wandered it with my older brother since I was a kid. We've never rode the bus to school before due to living close by our entire lives, which is likely what started our little after school adventures.
Carrick and I would roam the streets before Mom and Dad got out of work, window shopping and trying new eateries and whatnot. As soon as Colin was old enough we started taking him along as well. But then Carrick went off to university and Colin got accepted to a private middle school and our time together came to an end.
It definitely sucked, having our sibling dynamics end so abruptly, and I think my brothers could see the negative effect it had on me. As a sixteenth birthday present they gave me my motorbike, so I could keep traveling the city, even if it was without them. I was happy to learn they weren't so busy with their own lives to forget about me.
"Watch it, boy!" an old man shouted out his car window, honking his horn at me as he pulled through the intersection of the four-way stop.
"Sorry!" I waved at him, even though it was me that had the right-of-way. No reason to start a pointless brawl in the middle of the street. I silently thanked my brothers for the millionth time for getting me this motorbike, as its movability has helped me out countless times.
After five more minutes of driving, I made it to the given address, parking illegally on the curb because all the spots were taken up.
Pressing the doorbell to the quaint little brownstone, I waited not even ten seconds for the door to open. An elderly man opened the door, smiling politely. I could hear happily squealing kids shouting, "the pizzas here!" over and over again.
"Hello, sir!" I greeted cheerily. "It will be $12.99."
After exchanging the pizza for the money, I gave him back the change for his twenty. He shook his head, handing me an extra ten. "For getting here so fast. The grandkids can get pretty rowdy if they are kept waiting too long," he explained.
I grinned brightly at him. "Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy the pizza!"
"You're welcome, son," he chuckled.
"I'm back!" I shouted into the still customer-less pizzeria. "Did anyone stop in while I was gone?"
"Not one," Terry mumbled from the cash register. I walked over, handing over the money bag.
I nodded. "Hmmm."
Terry looked up and stared at me silently, then slumped his shoulders with a sigh. "Okay, we're closing early."
"Yes!" Thank goodness. I really didn't want to deal with Mom's nagging if I missed dinner.
After quickly cleaning the bathroom, taking out all the trash, and mopping the floors, I clocked out and went to say goodbye to Terry.
"That was fast. What's so special about tonight's dinner that has you in such a rush anyway?"
I made a face. "My mom's brother and his daughter are coming over tonight."
Terry looked bemusedly at me. "Um, I'm guessing you don't like them too much…?"
I sighed. "It's not that I don't like them, it's just… our families having always been, I don't know… different, opposites? Whatever. I've just never really gotten along with them. It didn't exactly help that when I was a kid my parents and uncle never spoke to each other. Now out of know where they've started socializing again, and are constantly trying to push me and my cousin to become best friends."
"Then why are you so worried about making it to dinner? Just say you had to come in no matter what today and couldn't get out in time. Aren't your parents all supportive of taking responsibility and stuff?"
"Yeah but… I don't know. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't work this time. Mom is really uptight about having 'family time'. Besides, Carrick and Colin are going to be over for the night and I don't want to miss seeing them."
"Alright. Well, good luck, Devan."
"Thanks, Terry. I'll see ya tomorrow," I waved, swinging my bag over my shoulder and heading out to my bike.
I just hope dinner isn't going to be too awkward. It's been a while since Uncle Kirby and April have been over and I doubt very much that things are going to change between us anytime soon…
Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciated it and am happy to know that this story is being received well!
No turtles yet, it will likely be a little while for that. But April will definitely be in the next chapter because-surprise!- April is Devan's cousin! It took some debating, since there is still so much that is unknown about April, but I thought I would take certain liberties with April being a teenager in the 2012 series and make them related.
(Spoilers)
On another note, I watched the new TMNT movie. Ugh... not sure how I feel about it. I'm just upset that the movie calls upon our prior knowledge of the turtles to understand their lives and personalities. Not to mention there wasn't enough dialogue among the family to show their connection, just a bunch of random one liners. And don't get me started on the turtles connection to April! I really dislike how they made it inevitable for them to eventually meet, no coincidences or whatever involved. And how Splinter learned to become a ninja? Just... really? Why...? I can't even...
And a sequel is already set to come out summer 2016. I just really hope they can learn from their mistakes.
Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter, sorry for making you wait so long. I've started putting my progress on my stories in my profile, so you can check that out to see where I'm at.
Please Review, Fav, Alert, etc. Thanks for reading!