Jim Creek opened Tribal Pizza back in nineteen ninety and had always kept a full crew of high school juniors and seniors on the payroll. One of the pizza delivery drivers that he had working for him this year was Robert Reynolds. Robert had been what Jim would call a steady employee. He rarely called in and he usually made it into the shop right before his five o'clock shift was to start. When Robert walked in with a school mate he did not know that he was going to be drawn into the life of this shy and quiet girl.
Once he was introduced to Melanie Easton and spent a little time talking with her, he knew that she was a special young lady. Jim prided himself on knowing the make up of a person after just a few minutes with them, and he knew that this girl was one of the good ones. He found her to be honest and forthright in their simple conversations and took an immediate like to her. He always said that his Italian blood would boil if a dishonest person came into his shop.
If called upon, he felt that he would defend and protect this girl like he would one of his own children. In fact when the short Italian man looked at her he felt that she could be one of the most innocent and honest people he had ever met. He hoped he had not read her wrong when things took an unexpected turn a short time after that first meeting.
