My most interesting deliveries:

I really don't have a ton of interesting stories that warrant their own posts, so here's just a few of my favorites:

• I once delivered to a house that wasn't answering. I went around to a side-door, and there was a deer head lying next to it. I assume a hunter lived there. It freaked me out.

• I once delivered to a man who I could see sleeping on the couch through the window. I had to knock a good deal to wake him up. When he finally did, he answered the door, said oh, and then walked around the living room in a few circles before returning in front of me, staring quizzically. I told him how much he owed me. This happened several times before he finally handed me a check.

• I once delivered in the snow and as I was pulling up to a house, my car got stuck and I was just spinning. Immediately, a car pulled over, and a few boys my age jumped out. They got behind my car and pushed. My car got unstuck. They then jumped in their car and drove away.

• I once delivered to the high school. There were no instructions for which entrance so at first I just went to the front door, which was locked. I walked back to my car and sat the pizza on the back and called the number. I reached someone right around the time I heard yelling and at the other end of the parking lot, I saw a group of kids waving. The person who answered said to bring it down to that entrance, where they were. I jumped in the car, and drove down to them. When I got out, they said, "Woah! You're really good!" and then someone asked, "Is that where you normally keep the pizza?" I was mortified to see the pizza still sitting on the back of my car. I just laughed and said, "Uh ... don't tell anyone about that." I am so lucky it didn't fall off!

• I once got to a house and was told by the people there that they hadn't actually ordered because it was too expensive so they told the phone girl to cancel it and ordered from Pizza Hut. I just gave them their dinner for free. I guarantee they ate our pizza for dinner that night -- so much better than Pizza Hut (but, yes, much more expensive)

• So often, after ringing the doorbell, I'd hear, "Pizza guy's here!" and then after opening the door, "Oh! Pizza girl!"

• I once delivered to a taxidermy shop. I didn't know it was one until I got there. Three people called me inside and they were all busy gutting (or whatever) a deer. They asked if they could pay me in deer meat. I had to bring the pizza in and set it down because their hands were ... busy.

• I once delivered to a place with a super long, super narrow driveway between two fences. When I got to the house there was no place to turn around! I tried at first, but seeing it wasn't going to happen I realized I had to drive down the whole driveway backwards. It was so narrow with tall grass and a wooden fence on either side. I drove slowly and carefully, but somehow veered and little and smacked into a fencepost. I was horrified. As I pulled forward, I saw the fencepost was bent and had splintered! My stomach was churning. I kept backing out, not knowing what the do. I finally called the customer and told him I thought I had hit his fence. I was so relieved when he laughed and said the fence has been like that for years. Phew.

• I was working the night of the last presidential election and that was probably one of the most fun nights I had. Every person I delivered to wanted to talk about it, and I gathered updates throughout the night from customers. I remember chatting with a high school girl about politics in general and who she was rooting for. It's a simple story, but politics rarely gets to be so much fun. It was great peeking into all the houses watching the race on the news, and getting some pizza to accompany them. :)

• I usually left my car running (though I wasn't supposed to). Once, on the way out, I accidentally hit the lock, which I didn't realize until I'd gotten back to my car. My cell phone and everything was in the car. I sheepishly rang the guy's doorbell again and explained and he let me use his phone to call the store, and then my mother (spare key was at home). The guy lived alone and was moving the following day. He had only a TV and two fold-up chairs. He had me sit in one and we watched TV together. I offered a gift certificate for free pizza, but he said since he was moving he didn't want it and it was no big deal anyway. I was super embarrassed and this guy was so nice. When my mom called his cell phone to talk to me, he said, "It must be for you. Nobody's going to call me." I felt terrible for him, as he talked about working the night shift and how his wife had left him. When my mother finally arrived with my spare key, I just wanted to hug the guy for being so kind to me.

That's all I can think of right now. I loved delivering pizza. I don't know if other people realize what a great job it can be. I worked for an independent local place that was well-loved in the safe, sweet little town I grew up in. I worked only part-time but made more money than I later made working full-time in an office job. I loved seeing all the different houses, and it was rare for anyone to be crabby to me. I really miss it sometimes.