The price of pizza delivery
Long hours, little tips and ludicrous patrons make delivering pizza in Lawrence a lively liaison.
By Kris Belden
Kansan staff writer
in Jones, Wichita sophomore, grabs five pizzas from the window and stuffs them into a red, insulated hot pack. He runs out the back door and jumps into his 1983 Honda Accord hatchback, 98.9 "The Rock" blaring and pizzas riding shotgun.
This is a full roll.
30 runs back to Pizza Shuttle, 1601 W. 23rd St., that Jones will make before he gets to go home at 3:30 a.m. Each run consists of five deliveries.
Jones grabs a flashlight and shines it on each of the boxes, memorizing the address on each
He drives down the 10th block of Missouri, rechecking the address on the pizza box with his flashlight and looking out of his fogged windows.
"My biggest pet peeve is this — houses that are hard to find or have no addresses," Jones said.
Jones is one of about 12 pizza deliverers working Friday night at Pizza Shuttle from 5 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. He works two 10-12-hour Fridays and takes 15 hours of classes at KU.
Jones has worked for Pizza Shuttle for about one month and said he liked delivering pizzas. "I enjoy it," he said. "There's nobody looking over your shoulders most of the time."
Tim Jones, Wichita sophomore, loads pizzeras into his car on a Friday night. Jones delivers pizza for Pizza Shuttle, 1601 W. 23rd St., for 10 1/2 hours Thursday and Friday nights.
In addition to making money, Jones said another advantage to delivering pizzas was having contact with people.
Stephan Pingry / Special to the KANSAN
"It's kind of fun to see people — not to meet them, just look at them, really," he said.
And after a month of delivering pizzas, Jones said he had seen it all. He said people who ordered pizzas after 1 a.m. were the most gentile and the most interesting delivery customers.
"Drunk people tip better." Jones said. "They don't mean to, but they do."
Jones said most late-night customers ordered pizza after the bars closed or ordered after getting home from parties. He said most late-night customers were college students.
"Some leave their doors open, drunk with their money clutched in their hands," Jones said. "If they can't count it out, I just get my $5.50."
"My second night, I delivered a two-fer to a guy, and those go for $0," he said. "When I got there, he opened the door and out came in a cloud of smoke. He handed me $20, and slammed the door in my face. I knocked on the door again, and then left, counting myself lucky."
He said delivering late also could be an exercise in patience.
"One guy wrote three checks," Jones said. "The third one he got right."
Occasionally women pick up on Jones. Other times, customers talk to him. But Jones said he never responded to most of the chatter because he was pressed for time.
"Time is money." he said. "You're under the
Stephan Pingrv / Special to the KANSAN
Tim Jones picks up his next delivery from Pizza Shuttle. Jones regularly drives more than 100 miles of Lawrence streets in one night while delivery pizzas.
clock. One girl started telling her prob lems. I'm just like, '$5.50'$"
After seven hours of his shift, Jones stopped to pick up another run and grabbed a Coke for himself to drink.
He loaded up his pizzas and was ready for another run.
Running pizzas never allowed for idle time. In 10 minutes, he had made two delivery stops.
"It goes really pretty quick," Jones said. "You're always doing something. The whole thing is a lot of work."
At the 9th block of Ohio Street, Jones pulled his car over to the curb, locked his car door and pulled out one pizza. He found the house, stood at the door and waited for an answer.
Nothing.
Jones tried again and drove to the nearest pay telephone. He called back to Pizza Shuttle to check on the order. Jones' manager called its destination to confirm the order. His manager said the pizza needed to be delivered to a different door.
Jones said he must call Pizza Shuttle with any problem orders. He sells any unclaimed pizzas to whoever will buy them.
This time Jones found the right door and made the delivery, only to return to Pizza Shuttle for another delivery run of pizzas.
Pizza delivery also has its advantages. Jones knows how to navigate Lawrence better than he did before he took the job.
"I know where the potholes are; I know where all the dips are," he said.
Jones also knows the quickest routes across town. He knows the commonly police-patrolled streets and knows which side streets he can speed on.
"You can fly down side streets after 12 a.m." Jones said. "Just watch for cops. Mostly, they're after drunk drivers."
Continued on Page 8.
University Dance Company finals
theater
Kansan features writer
Michelle Betts
It's finals time for the University Dance Company, but no pens, pencils or blue books are involved—just a great deal of energy and hard work. The dance company, joined by the Cohan/Suzau Duet Company, will be presenting the final performance of the summer team 4 and 5. Right
on Jan. 1st and on Feb. 4th. Light dances will be performed by members of the University Dance Company, Patrick Suzeau and Muriel Cohen.
Jo Ann Janus, Madison, Wis., junior, said
Suzueau, instructor in dance at KU, and Cohan, associate professor of dance at KU, formed their duet dance company in New York in 1973. They choreographed four of the dances that will be performed this weekend.
"I have all three rehearsals back to back, and then we have normal classes, extra rehearsals on Sunday and just whenever choreographers throw them in." Janus said.
the company had been practicing since September for the recital. Janus, who is in three dances, said training was rigorous.
The program will begin with "Scarlett a Cling," choreographed by Willeen Lille.
instructor in dance. The piece involves modern dance movements set to Italian baroque music form the composer Alessandro Scarletti.
Carey Wagoner, Lawrence senior, is one of four dancers in "Scarlati." She said that Lenoir liked to use barque and classical music for his modern dances.
"I think he likes to use the music because it is fast, and I think with this dance it works well together," Wagoner said.
Cohen will dance the solo in "Pelagos," a modern dance created by Cohan and Suzeau that uses breath and sculptural movement to
Continued on Page 8.
DECEMBER 1, 1992 PAGE 7
KUCampus
People and places at the University of Kansas.
calendar
Exhibitions
Spencer Museum of Art
864-4710
Hours: Closed Monday; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-
Saturday; noon - 5 p.m. Sunday.
"A Noble Collection: Old Master Prints from the Spencer Albums." Ends Jan. 3, 1993
"Heritage of the Brush: The Roy and Marilyn Papp Collection." Ends Dec. 27.
Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. Central Court.
Ends Dec. 13
KU Museum of Natural History 864-4540
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Saturday; 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday.
An exhibit of "Milestones: The University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, 1866-1992," Ends March 14, 1993
"Family Day" 1:00-3:30 p.m. Sunday
KU Museum of Anthropology
Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday
Continued on Page 8.