Deliveries

In the last two days, I have received two deliveries which made me smile.

My other last name.

Yesterday, after taking an epic four-hour nap in my recliner that started mid-afternoon and ended in the early evening, I ordered from the local pizza joint that specializes in New York-style pies: half plain, half anchovies (don't judge). "Oh, and can you throw in two cannolis, too?" "No problem, ma'am," said the man on the other end of the line. Since moving to Ohio 13 years ago, I have not found a pizza that tastes like home—until last night. And oh, how it made my sad heart sing for a few moments! The cannoli filling was a little lighter than I'm used to, but hey, I'll take it. This is no time to be a critic.

After work today, I found myself in the same recliner, wanting to take another epic nap to escape reality, but I figured that would kill any kind of meaningful sleep later tonight. (I have not had much of an appetite lately, and I dream nightly that I have contracted COVID-19 and/or have spread it to someone I love.) My fantasy of disappearing via nap was disrupted when a delivery car pulled into my driveway, which is pretty common when you live at the end of a dead-end street that is not marked as such. Usually, these cars are lost and turn around, but tonight, the driver kept going up my long, concrete driveway. He stepped out of his compact car, walked up my sidewalk, and knocked on my door. "Here you go! Enjoy!" he said, handing me a paper bag and a small pizza box with his gloved hand. Perplexed, I replied, "Thanks." Inside the brown paper bag was a container of chocolate Oreo ice cream. Inside the box were a half dozen assorted cookies. As I was trying to puzzle out which of my friends might have sent this surprise, I received a text: "Enjoy the treats! Hope you are having a better day." —Jenn

Feeding my feelings. Thanks, J-Dogg!

Some people just know you. Some people take their role as best friend seriously and call in an order of treats to your home from their home in Virginia, when they know you're feeling overwhelmed by darkness. Some people know that you ran out of ice cream the other night without you even telling them. Some people know that sweets are a salve for sadness, if only for a few moments.