I’m not saying it’s unlikely to happen that a neighbor helps a neighbor move, but the story feels totally fake. I don’t think there’s a network of single men who help each other move furniture for pizza that the narrator stumbled upon, or if there is, I don’t think it’s a typical pattern of American neighborhoods. Like when do they buy the pizza? What size? If he didn’t know that the 3rd guy is coming, why did he have pizza for him? If he thought the payment is cash, why did he have pizza for them? Or did they say: thanks, your total is 6 slices of cheese pizza, it’s going to ask you a couple of questions? And then he ordered pizza from doordash and the 3 of them waited about 40 minutes for it to arrive? How did the truck guy get OPs number? The friend told him: hey, I know a guy who needs a sofa moved, do you need some pizza? Here’s his number just call him he’ll totally answer an unknown number.
I’ve lived in different states and it’s the same everywhere. IDK about cities. The only unusual thing in this story is that the guy OP was talking to orginally didn’t show up. And that it’s just a pizza and not also beer.
The other questions you have I assure you that all of it is perfectly normal - to the degree that I as an American iam sitting here wondering how you made it through life not knowing the answrs to those question (I don’t actually mean that, I’m sure you have a good social life, I’m just trying to relate that it’s like everyday stuff, as if you were asking “how are both their shoes tied” and “how did that guy know how much money to give at the checkout counter”)
The pizza is obtained on the way, at the pizza place local to the destination. If you’re moving a ton, the most tired person goes to get it. You try to plan ahead but you also gotta probably stop for beer and maybe gas.
There is no question of size. I honestly don’t know anyone who orders anything other than a Large pie. It’s a Large and if there’s leftovers, there’s leftovers. If you need 10 slices, you get another Large and have leftovers.
You can very quickly just say “pepperoni?” and if you don’t get a “I don’t eat meat” then that’s what everyone’s getting. Otherwise you just get a plain. SOmetimes someone springs for a Supreme or something. If it’s a lot of people you get a mix, or you can do half/halp on one pie. It takes the time to determine this that the phone is ringing while you’re placing the order.
Thanks for typing this out, I appreciate the time. I don’t have a good social life, but what I have, stopping to pick up pizza is not part of.
But you’re description sounds like life and is totally reasonable. OP sounds like a feel good Netflix soap, but maybe it’s the style that rubs me the wrong way.
In the UK it’s a man with a van. Everyone knows a man with a van or someone who knows a man with a van. If it’s a long drive then the man with a van will probably ask for a bit of cash to cover the fuel, but generally the price is some food or beer, because it’s not a job, it’s one of the basic cooperative actions that society requires to function properly, so it’s given according to ability and paid for according to need. The main product of the work isn’t a transaction, it’s community, so none of those questions are actually important.
Wait, is this something to be proud of about being American? There might be a touch of embellishment but those series of events are more or less what happens.
Christ this might be breaking in to a tad of our truck culture too, because it makes you feel as though you’re a special kind of useful when your the guy with the truck that got the thing moved.
But dont worry about the pizza. Didn’t know about the extra helper? Insist you’re not hungry, you just got a couple hundred dollars of work done for the cost of pizza. Don’t worry, there will be at least a slice left for you. It’s a social interaction that is a lot less lopsided than it feels. The sharing of pizza is the commitment to (and quite probably planning) of the next “job”.
I’m not saying it’s unlikely to happen that a neighbor helps a neighbor move, but the story feels totally fake. I don’t think there’s a network of single men who help each other move furniture for pizza that the narrator stumbled upon, or if there is, I don’t think it’s a typical pattern of American neighborhoods. Like when do they buy the pizza? What size? If he didn’t know that the 3rd guy is coming, why did he have pizza for him? If he thought the payment is cash, why did he have pizza for them? Or did they say: thanks, your total is 6 slices of cheese pizza, it’s going to ask you a couple of questions? And then he ordered pizza from doordash and the 3 of them waited about 40 minutes for it to arrive? How did the truck guy get OPs number? The friend told him: hey, I know a guy who needs a sofa moved, do you need some pizza? Here’s his number just call him he’ll totally answer an unknown number.
Am from US, have lived this.
Of course it’s usually a couple friends of yours
I’ve lived in different states and it’s the same everywhere. IDK about cities. The only unusual thing in this story is that the guy OP was talking to orginally didn’t show up. And that it’s just a pizza and not also beer.
The other questions you have I assure you that all of it is perfectly normal - to the degree that I as an American iam sitting here wondering how you made it through life not knowing the answrs to those question (I don’t actually mean that, I’m sure you have a good social life, I’m just trying to relate that it’s like everyday stuff, as if you were asking “how are both their shoes tied” and “how did that guy know how much money to give at the checkout counter”)
The pizza is obtained on the way, at the pizza place local to the destination. If you’re moving a ton, the most tired person goes to get it. You try to plan ahead but you also gotta probably stop for beer and maybe gas.
There is no question of size. I honestly don’t know anyone who orders anything other than a Large pie. It’s a Large and if there’s leftovers, there’s leftovers. If you need 10 slices, you get another Large and have leftovers.
You can very quickly just say “pepperoni?” and if you don’t get a “I don’t eat meat” then that’s what everyone’s getting. Otherwise you just get a plain. SOmetimes someone springs for a Supreme or something. If it’s a lot of people you get a mix, or you can do half/halp on one pie. It takes the time to determine this that the phone is ringing while you’re placing the order.
Thanks for typing this out, I appreciate the time. I don’t have a good social life, but what I have, stopping to pick up pizza is not part of.
But you’re description sounds like life and is totally reasonable. OP sounds like a feel good Netflix soap, but maybe it’s the style that rubs me the wrong way.
I think I hear you on the style. There’s some intentional storytelling in there and likely some embellishment.
In the UK it’s a man with a van. Everyone knows a man with a van or someone who knows a man with a van. If it’s a long drive then the man with a van will probably ask for a bit of cash to cover the fuel, but generally the price is some food or beer, because it’s not a job, it’s one of the basic cooperative actions that society requires to function properly, so it’s given according to ability and paid for according to need. The main product of the work isn’t a transaction, it’s community, so none of those questions are actually important.
You phrased it beautifully
In Canada its a man with a truck. It absolutely happens.
Just not in big cities. In big cities you are on your own.
Wait, is this something to be proud of about being American? There might be a touch of embellishment but those series of events are more or less what happens.
Christ this might be breaking in to a tad of our truck culture too, because it makes you feel as though you’re a special kind of useful when your the guy with the truck that got the thing moved.
But dont worry about the pizza. Didn’t know about the extra helper? Insist you’re not hungry, you just got a couple hundred dollars of work done for the cost of pizza. Don’t worry, there will be at least a slice left for you. It’s a social interaction that is a lot less lopsided than it feels. The sharing of pizza is the commitment to (and quite probably planning) of the next “job”.