I delivered Pizza's for a summer, a place called Caesars Pizza in Forest Park, IL. (Great pizza!). All pay was per delivery and tips, obviously no benefits.
My three most enduring memories:
* They gave free pizza's to the cops. I got stopped for going 65 in a 30 MPH zone... the cop noticed the Pizza heater in my back seat and asked "who are you delivering for?". I said Caesars, he said "they take care of us, get going".
* The next town over was Maywood, and they had a real nasty area. Pizza drivers were always getting robbed, sometimes seriously hurt. I always carried a huge, metal flashlight, and learned how to use it as an intimidation device. Always shine it right in the persons face and approach them fast. I remember walking up the stairs to a third story delivery in a nasty 'hood with no hallway lights, shining the flashlight down on the stairs in front on me, and suddenly a huge bark from a German Shepard about 3 feet in front of me on the landing... just about face level. Whoosh, almost fell backward down a flight.
* Long story short, there was a woman who ordered Pizza's that liked to be "serviced". She never knew which guy would deliver the pizza. I was getting plenty at the time, and was greedy for the per delivery and tips, so never participated. I got like a 50 cent tip... the more randy guys got $10.
Frankly... that time in my life was a hell of a lot of fun.
I could tell the stories of being a cab driver in Chicago or a truck driver in the San Francisco Bay area. But I have to clean the pool. Life is strange... |
