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 Christine
met Michael when they were working at Domino's Pizza. In school she
wrote an essay about that experience, much to Michael's chagrin.
18 years later we have 4 beautiful kids and are living in Berwyn, Pa
right by the high school that Christine graduated from. Michael
is working for Vanguard as a service associate.
I married the Pizza Man
It’s
1986 in a small town near Salt Lake City, Utah. I work as a daytime
manager for Domino’s Pizza. I have many friends who work at this store,
but they work at night while I work during the day. Sometimes I come
and visit my friends after my shift. Other times I am able to visit
with them between shifts.
Today is Friday and there is an
assistant manager on the night shift that I’ve seen a few times. I’m
told that his name is Mike. He must be Hispanic; he has big dark eyes
and the thickest black hair I’ve ever seen. He has muscular arms and a
small waist. He certainly looks good in those tight, white jeans.
Someone in the back is telling jokes and I can hear him laughing. His
laugh is so infectious.
I wonder if my hair looks all right. I
have it in this stupid ponytail so that I don’t get hair in the food
and I’m sure that this orange and blue hat and this horrible orange
apron aren’t helping to make me more attractive. I wonder if I have
flour on my face. I can’t go back and look in the mirror; it would be
too obvious that I’m trying to impress him. What can I do? Oh no, here
he comes. I wipe my suddenly sweaty hands on my apron and wonder if
he’ll talk to me today. Maybe I should make the first move.
“Hey, How are ya,” I say.
“Fine,” replies Mike.
Now what. My shift is over and all I got is “Fine”.
“Ok, see you later,” I say while going to pick up my purse and take off my hat and apron.
“Yeah, bye,” he replies.
I
pick up my stuff and go out to my VW Rabbit Diesel. This car is so
loud. It is embarrassing and I wonder if he can hear it from inside. I
sure hope the sound of the ovens makes it hard to hear the rumbling of
this beat up car. Mike has a light blue Mazda RX-7. I only know because
I read the label on the back. Cars are so important to men.
Well.
so much for making a big move today. I can’t believe that I see him
almost every day and he hardly speaks to me. It is so hard being 19 and
single. There aren’t many cute guys around. I sure wish Mike would ask
me out.
It’s Friday night and there is nothing to do in this
town. Mike is working and here I am spending all my time obsessing
about him. I wonder what my roommate Daunetta thinks of him. I think
I’ll ask her when she gets home. There’s Daunetta coming in the door
now. I’m almost ready to go out to dinner. I have on my favorite ripped
black sweatshirt over black Gap pants. My best earrings, the ones that
have the big black circle at the bottom, are swinging from my ears.
Daunetta gets changed and we are off to dinner. I can’t believe two
good-looking girls such as us are without dates on a Friday night. Over
dinner I ask Daunetta what she thinks about Mike.
“He seems nice,” she says, “but he doesn’t say much. Is he shy?”
“I
don’t know, he must be. He never says much to me. I hear him talking to
his friends all the time, but he only says one or two word sentences
when he speaks to me. You don’t think it’s me do you?” I ask.
“No way! How could it be you?” She replies.
We finish our dinner. We’re going to try to make the 9 o’clock showing of the movie “Top Gun”. Tom Cruise is so cute.
What
a great movie. What else can we do tonight? We decide that we will go
and visit our friends at Dominos. It is almost closing time there
anyway; maybe we can help them so they can get out earlier. I might be
able to get Mike to talk to me.
When we arrive at the store,
they are almost done with the closing duties. Daunetta and I help fold
boxes while the night manager is counting the money. Mike has gone
outside to warm up his car. I haven’t had a chance to try talking to
him. Here he comes. I wipe the box particles off my sweatshirt. I hope
I don’t have popcorn kernels in my teeth.
“Hi,” I say to Mike.
“Hi,” He replies.
“How are you? Were you guys busy tonight,” I ask.
“It was ok,” He answers.
We all head out to the cars so that we can all go home. Mike goes to get in his car, but the door is locked.
“What happened,” I ask.
“I locked my keys in the car when I came out to warm it up,” he replies.
“But your car is still running.”
“I know, I have another set of keys.”
“That’s great,” I say, “where is the other set?”
“Locked in the car,” Mike answers.
I’m
trying really hard not to laugh, but it is just so funny. I ask him if
anyone can come and help him. He tells me that he has the only keys to
the car. He has a “slim Jim” that would open the door to the car, but
it is also is locked inside.
This is it -- time for my big
move. I volunteer to call the police department to come and open up
Mike’s car. In exchange, he has to agree to take me out on a date for
dinner. Mike agrees. I hold up my end of the bargain and he in turn
holds up his end.
Years later, in 2005, we have been married for 18 years and have 4 kids together. Anyone feel like ordering pizza?
Christine has recently completed her BS degree from AIO in Interactive Media. Her portfolio can be seen here.
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