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| - The East Carson Street Pizza Gauntlet Part 5: The Conclusion
The three of us; Kay, her brother RJ, and I were battle-weary. I was feeling especially overloaded since I'd also had pizza twice the previous day. After resting at the Burger King, we found ourselves cold, stuffed with food, and slightly dejected that the last pizza place we wanted to try had changed hands and morphed into a rowdy bar. There was, however, one more place that caught my eye, a parlor I didn't know was on Carson until tonight.
To recap, we encountered the 4 sisters; Zeeno's the fun, happy, pleasingly plump one. Sal's the darling dimbulb, Pizza Sola is the gorgeous geek, and Pi is the duplicitous doxy.
Lo there would be a 5th sister, one that would snatch the breath from my lungs and run with it, daring me to chase her down for it, giggling playfully all the while like Catwoman stealing diamonds only because it ensures that Batman will be in hot pursuit.
Gennaro's is the mystery blonde from either "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" or "American Graffiti." I kept catching glimpses of her throughout the evening, encountering her briefly only to lose her in the crowd.
We arrived at a small pizzeria with only the aforementioned sign in the window. We were the only customers. The seating was sparse, the decor minimal. The trend had been seemingly reversed drastically.
I stupidly asked "Do you sell pizza by the slice here?"
Everyone chuckles, including my companions.
I could blame it on a long, busy day, but in truth, I was just blinded by her beauty.
No, not the girl behind the counter. Jeez, she looked to be about 15 and was preoccupied with her iPhone and makeup mirror.
I'm talkin' about a pizza that comes out of the shadows, walkin' like a dream, makin' me crazy, makin' me feel so mean. Suddenly, I was Freddie Wilson...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmf8rZfGTKQ&feature=related
My compadres had no appetite. I barely did either, but I took a few bites and had it boxed up. I didn't want to tax my stomach any further.
Or did the pizza slice want to play hard-to-get?
The pizza already gave off an aroma akin to perfume. You could see the spices and herbs in the sauce. The cheese was oily or rather, glowing. One doesn't call a pizza like this "greasy." The pepperoni turned into perky, crispy little goblets. The crust was built like a brick shithouse with a soft side. Instantly, it was a perfect 10.
But again, I only got a taste. I would take it home and not revisit it until the next day. That's when she came out of her shell. It was even better after toasting it in the oven to reheat it.
This 5th sister was obscure, unattainable when you first noticed her, but after pining for her for months, you finally took her home after she became tipsy, only to allow her to sleep it off in your bed while you took the couch. The next morning, she awakened wearing your clothes with a breakfast prepared for you on the table, not due to any patriarchal need to please but rather because she likes to cook for people and woke up starving. After that it was a few hours of Nintendo during which you discovered that she's a gifted, knowledgeable gamer, all before the Steelers game came on, of course (she's a fan!). A week later she was keeping toiletries at your place. A year later it was co-habitation. 3 years later you're both standing at the altar side-by-side. Zeeno's is weeping and smiling, anticipating the birth of your first child so she can babysit. Sal's is bored and eager for the reception so she can self-medicate with free alcohol. Pizza Sola can't wait for it to be over since she thinks marriage is archaic but came only because she loves her sister dearly despite fighting with her over silly things many times while growing up. Pi's is just bitter, hates what everyone's wearing, and is wondering how much money your obese and balding boss, whom you had to invite, makes and whether or not he and his wife get along.
The One, The Love of Your Life, was found at Gennaro's.
Thus ended our adventure.
No, I never expected that the last pizza I would try would be my favorite. There was no poetic license at work here, I swear. Gennaro's is the true gem of South Side's slightly disappointing pizza scene.
P.S. Thanks to Kay's brother and trained chef RJ for providing valuable insights during our excursion.
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