The unpredictable world of pizza deliveries, unlikely friendships, and the triumphs and tribulations that unfold within the walls of a restaurant struggling to stay afloat. This is Julian’s story, and it’s a doozy!
A Chaotic Workplace
Back in the early 2000s, Julian found himself working at a well-known pizza delivery chain store in the US. It was one of those typical restaurants in the food service industry that seemed to be constantly on the verge of falling apart.
The chaotic atmosphere was the norm, with Julian often finding himself as the sole employee responsible for running the whole show alongside one driver. Breaks were unheard of, and the recent franchise owners proved to be clueless, frequently showing up unannounced to unleash their frustrations on Julian.
The customers weren’t any better, with most of them ordering just once and never returning. Pizza deliveries took an excruciatingly long time, sometimes reaching over 90 minutes, and disgruntled customers would even bring their pizzas back to the store.
It was nothing short of a nightmare.
Nothing for a Homeless Man
To add insult to injury, Julian was only earning a measly wage of $8.50 per hour for all the chaos he had to endure. But amidst the craziness, one night stood out.
It was a slow night, as was often the case, and Julian found himself idly standing by the phones, watching the seconds tick away. Then, unexpectedly, a homeless man named Ricky walked into the store.
Ricky introduced himself and asked if there were any leftover pizzas that hadn’t been picked up. Sadly, Julian had to inform him that there were none.
Julian’s Act of Kindness
However, in a rare moment of generosity, Julian asked Ricky what kind of pizza he liked. Ricky replied that he enjoyed the meat lovers pizza.
Seeing Ricky’s kind nature, Julian decided to make an exception. He told Ricky that he would gladly make him a meat lovers pizza.
Ricky was overjoyed and sat down in one of the chairs, bouncing up and down like an excited child. Julian put in the order and paid for it out of his own pocket, amounting to $12, which equated to roughly an hour and a half of his hard-earned wages.
To Ricky’s amazement, Julian showcased his pizza-making skills, expertly slapping and spinning the dough.
The Unfortunate Encounter
The pizza came out of the oven, and at that very moment, the area manager, who happened to be the franchise owner’s brother, stormed into the store, ready to unleash his usual tirade.
As the area manager launched into his angry rant, another regular customer named Henry walked in, visibly uncomfortable with the situation.
Finally, Julian mustered the courage to explain to the area manager that he had paid for the pizza himself.
The area manager continued his shouting, accusing Julian of stealing from the store and labeling him a liar!
He demanded that the cash count be accurate by the end of the night and stormed out. Julian apologized to Henry and Ricky, both of whom empathized with him, acknowledging the struggles of working in retail.
Unexpected Allies
Ricky eventually received his pizza, and Henry got his order as well.
Interestingly, Julian noticed that they started conversing outside the store. The following night, Henry unexpectedly called to place an order. This was unusual because he was typically a once-a-week customer.
What surprised Julian even more was that Henry ordered a meat lovers pizza instead of his usual supreme.
Julian took the order, prepared the pizza, and 20 minutes later, Henry called back, apologetically canceling the order.
Julian accepted the cancellation, and coincidentally, Ricky strolled in, requesting a pizza. By sheer chance, Julian had a pizza ready to go that would have otherwise gone uneaten!
The Nightly Dance
And so began the nightly ritual. Henry would consistently call, placing an order for a meat lovers pizza, which Julian would promptly make.
Then, like clockwork, Henry would call again to cancel, and Ricky would coincidentally appear at the store. This pattern continued night after night, like a perfectly synchronized dance routine.
It carried on for several months, flying under the radar, until a fellow co-worker, eager to please the higher-ups, decided to snitch on Julian.
Phased Out
However, when confronted about his actions, Julian simply responded that he was merely following instructions and doing his job.
The matter escalated, and Julian was gradually phased out of the schedule, a discreet way of being let go. Yet, Julian didn’t mind one bit.
Little Wins
Around a year later, the restaurant finally closed its doors for good.
While Henry’s nightly pizza routine certainly played a small role, it wasn’t solely responsible for the restaurant’s demise.
Nevertheless, Julian couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief as he bid farewell to the place that had brought him so much frustration. At least Ricky got his pizza – it’s the little wins that count!
Have you ever experienced a small act of kindness that had unexpected consequences?
The post He Gave a Homeless Guy a Free Pizza Everyday – Until His Company Went Bust! first appeared on Wealthy Living
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Dean Drobot. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit