(Special thanks to
for the title.)The clouds came down to kiss the mountains. They lingered even after you finished seeing her for whatever reason she had. Stayed even after you made the drive down and sliced through the fog itself for work in the morning. The sun refused to blaze through and instead made everything become drabbed in a gray hue.
You felt their weight as you walked into the pizza shop. The door jingled with an old fashioned bell tied to the top of it. Not one of those electronic dings like its marking you for death. It winked back at you as you glance up for a peek at it. You turn around and face the counter, eyes heavy with today’s ball and chain. Two lards ahead of you, looking like they’re eyeing the whole pies. This’ll take longer than expected. Bastards.
Your eyes move themselves around to bounce out the awkwardness of standing there like a piece of lard too. You look up and down, side to side, as if the place rearranged magically in one week. Everything was in the same damn place.
Wired plastic blades that spun in slow motion peppered the ceiling. Yellow drops of light spilled from the middle of them all. The wall of Italian cars was just ahead. Thick in dead skin cells and lost hair. So thick you could make dust-balls from it all. You had vowed to never eat there from the moment you first stepped foot in here. Especially since the bathrooms peered out from the corner adjacent to it. You hate that shit. Literally.
One of the lards walked away with two pies. Enough for a fucking party. You look down as they pass, the smell of the pepperoni makes your head a little light. You suck down the wad of spit that formed from salivation.
The second dude gets two slices. Cheese on cheese. You ponder the idea. Two? Two could do you right. Especially today. Maybe. Your head spins around to see your reflection in the glossy windows. The pizza parlor cut off the rest of the world.
“What you need buddy?” The clerk calls out.
Small and quick steps, hands shoved in your pockets and fondling your debit card. You prepared in the car, can’t come in there fumbling with the wallet. You don’t make eye contact. Fuck that, the pizza looked way better anyways. A quick breath before you answer. You already knew before you came in. Not like he needed to know. Well –
“Just one slice of pepperoni, please.”
Your hand takes out the card – too early, but you can’t put it back at this point. Your eyes scan the room as you tighten your grip. Always imagining the worst as he inputs the pricing on the cash register.
“Seven-seventy-five.”
“Here you go.”
“Debit?”
You nod. “Yeah.”
“Go ahead and tap.”
It buzzes — you're now seven bucks and seventy five cents lighter. He walks without a second thought. Slides on a see-through glove that's far too big for his hand. Your eyes follow it. The pie under the heating lamp was still sizzling. The pepperonis looked like they were about to pop off the wrinkled skin of the pie itself.
The cheese pull was fucking glorious. Strands that thinned out perfectly. The finely cut and doughy triangle was slapped onto a circular foam plate.
“Peppers?”
“No, no thanks.”
The eggy clerk hands it to you over the counter. “Napkins over there.”
Not even a word of thanks. You take it and walk away in silence. Not like you come here every week. Whatever. Fog must be in everybody’s head.
You find your seat in the corner, past the wall that separates the kitchen from the dining room. A darker corner that only held two seaters. No bathrooms, no warm blooded eyes to avoid, and quiet. Thank Christ.
You sit down, keys jangling from your waist band. They scratch the seat. The hot and steaming slice wafts up your nose. You grab it delicately, like it was glass. It folds in half like a paper airplane full of blistering cheese, singed red meat, and a perfect crust to toppings ratio. A-piece-o-pizza. One of God’s greatest gifts to humanity. You close your eyes as you take a bite.
The ball and chain unlatches. Your taste buds explode in euphoria. They sing in awe. The juices of sustenance itself flood the barren waste of despair. The clouds part. The sun shines onto your mind. The drive home is brighter. The wind chimes higher.
(Thank you for reading. First 2nd person pov, tell me what you thought. Good and bad. That’s how I improve. All written and edited today. 700 words)
BuymeAjoint <3
This made me deeply uncomfortable 🙂
I'm not supposed to eat pizza. You made me really miss eating pizza! As far as 2nd person is concerned, I don't usually like it. But you did make it feel as if I were the one going there, ordering, and sitting down to eat it. So that there says a lot. Nicely written!