Topping Off

Story Sent in by Adrian:

I used to work in a bookstore part time and Katherine was a coworker. We hit it off immediately and I was thrilled to be the recipient of her attention. She was really bright and funny and I felt I must have sounded like a bumbling idiot to her. I especially felt that way once I had gathered up enough nerve to ask her out for a pizza date but she accepted.

We picked a time to meet and I arrived a little early. It turns out that Katherine was already there at the counter with a steaming take-out box of pizza. The instant she saw me enter she yelled, "Pizza to go!" and she threw the full pizza box at me.

It seemed to happen in slow motion. The box opened up as it sailed across the restaurant. I dodged aside as the pizza flew out toward me, but part of it hit me and oh how it burned. Most of it hit the floor.

I was enraged. But when I looked at Katherine she was the one who looked mad. She said, "Why didn't you catch it?" She cursed at me then shouldered by and left. I was too shocked to do much, but the manager behind the counter gave me a couple of free slices.

The next time I went into the bookstore, I found out that Katherine had quit. I never saw her again.