The Chef's Special.

Last week I ate a lot of pizza.
Two nights in a row, in fact. That may not seem like a big deal to you, but when I say I ate “a lot of pizza” what I mean is that on each of those two occasions I exceeded whatever the legal limit is set at, when it comes to pizza ingestion.
I was in no shape to drive a vehicle afterwards!
I got high on pizza.
It’s just that I discovered this place that really knows how to do it right. It’s called Lorenzo’s, and the particular one to order is the #10 on their list, called The Chef’s Special. It consists of diced sirloin steak, mushrooms, green peppers & onions.
While this may not seem like anything all that “special” or even “chef-like”.... let me assure you, it’s just one of those things that you have to experience in order to get the full effect. The crust is to die for. And it’s the sauce that really seals the deal.
In fact, I am convinced that there is something addictive in the sauce.
On Tuesday night a friend and I were watching a movie and then we realized that the ominous grumbling sounds were not coming from the TV.
A glance was enough. I picked up the phone and made the call.
Soon, in minutes really, we had an extra-large one of these beauties in front of us, and we tore into it like escaped rhinoceroses. My cat ran and hid. Halfway through the carnage I realized that I have one artery that is not yet clogged, so I ran and got the parmesan cheese from the fridge, and we shook it like dandruff onto every glorious slab. Till there was none left.
It was simply beautiful leaning back into the couch afterwards, unable to move, or even talk.

The next night again, the same friend and I were driving around when we both arrived at the same conclusion.... we were starving.
“Pizza, should we get another one of those.......”
And I was already stabbing awayat the cellphone. I ordered the same sort of pizza, only this time, we would pick it up on our way back to the apartment.
I stopped in front of Lorenzo’s and ran in. The Chef’s Special was all ready and waiting, and I was (to my shame) visibly salivating.
Just as the girl was taking my credit card and about to run it through, I said to the guy behind the little open ledge where the pizza was sitting, “I think I am addicted to your pizza. We just had one of these last night, when it was delivered to us, and here I am tonight, picking up another one.”
As the girl was just about to swipe my card, the guy says “Half price” and smiles at me.
I thought I didn’t hear him correctly, and so did she. The girl hesitated, so the the guy looked at her and repeated the words “Half price,” stepping through the little swinging door between us, wiping his hands on his apron and still grinning.
This time I did not say “You can’t do that” as I did in my last encounter with spontaneous magnanimousness [see Blog entitled “You can’t do that!” September 08, '05 ]
No, I think I just said “What? Are you serious?” Or something like that.
And The Pizzaman said “We want you to be addicted. We want you to come back. So half price today.”
And he took my card from the girl and readjusted the bill and then rang it through himself.
And while he did all this I said “I am going to tell every single person I know that they should eat pizza from Lorenzo’s.”
So..... Chef’s Special, #10 on the menu. Best pizza in the world. I’m getting the word out there. And I am writing this from the coffeeshop, after work. And my next move is to call the place, and order one of these and pick it up on the way home.
....if only I had replenished my parmesan shaker! It is stone cold empty.