Went out for pizza last night and my experience was not as smooth as I would have liked; tired of the usual Little Caesars already cooked but not all the way done pie I chose to go to a nice local family owned business that I have used on and off since moving in here around 1998. I had heard from a neighbor that the pizza shop had changed hands and things were a little different there, and since then I had done 1 phone order with no issues so my pick was easy. When I got there I could tell the crew was humping and with more than 6 and less than 20 people behind the counter they were moving, but while they all chatted amongst each other nobody offered a "hey we will be right with you" or "hey dude give us 1 second", so I waited for about 10 minutes and they would look at me and that was about it, so I decided to bail out and go elsewhere. As I drove off I reminded myself of something I heard and used in the Italian bike business, if I can afford to buy brand A I can also afford to buy brand D, how you get treated can make your decision for you. So as I drive my list of pie shops was short and chose Dominoes. I know they don't have the best reputation but I said the list wasn't long. I arrived to the pie place a young lady asked me to wait a moment and then I placed my order and was told it would be a fifteen to twenty minute wait. This place is small up front so I walk outside and began my wait and this is where it goes not according to plans. A teenage kid rips up on a bmx bike and starts to grill me on why I am standing where I was, maybe it was his approach and lack of tact or the incident at the first pie shop but I asked what business it was of his and that started a small back and forth and in the end not much came of it.
During our somewhat heated conversation a couple of other kids had walked up and the 2 guys that showed up looked like perhaps they might be homeless and one of the guys had 2 medium sized dogs with him, well behaved and they stayed close to him. One of the dogs looked like it was part coyote and maybe under fed, as I am sure the young guys were. I have struggled since I left home at 17 and it is not easy when home is behind you and the world is in front of you and not the nicest. I went to my car to continue the wait and when I figured it was time to get the pie I went in. The girl at the counter asked if I was another customer and I gave her my name and she got my order and I went home. Upon arriving I discover that the pizza has an additional topping I did not order and easy enough to remove so I ate on. About 5 minutes later I get a call from the girl at Dominoes and she tells me I may have received the wrong pie to which I confirm that yes it was indeed incorrect. This is the first time I have ever received a call to apologize let alone her offer for a discounted or free pie upon next visit to which I replied it won't be needed it was not that big of a deal and we hung up. I stood there for a moment and the little coyote/dog came into mind and I called the pie shop back and got the very same girl I had dealt with from the start. I told her why I had left the other pie factory and appreciated the fact she called in the first place, I then asked if the kids were still out front with the dogs and she said yes they were. I know what it is like to not be able to eat a meal here and there and whenever you live on the streets it more often than not you go hungry, so I ordered a large pizza for the kids and went back to eating my dinner, felt a little better.
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