Summary & Response of "Be Cool to the Pizza Dude" by Sarah Adams

Sophia Ruiz-Zarate
Jodie Howell, Instructor
WR 115
19 December 2013
Summary and Response of “Be Cool to the Pizza Dude” by Sarah Adams
Summary
In the essay “Be Cool to the Pizza Dude,” Sarah Adams writes about the valid reasons for being cool to the pizza dude, and explains the blessings and good karma that can come from it. Adams fills her essay with four principles exampled that further explain her philosophy of being cool to the pizza dude, and how she applies it. The first principle is to practice humility and forgiveness for the pizza dude, to which Adams provides an example of a pizza dude cutting her off in traffic, and her collective tolerance for such actions. Adams explains the importance of allowing the pizza dude a safe passage, and not letting anger her cloud judgment. The second principle is to practice empathy for the pizza dude. The author reminisces with her memory of such ‘bottom of the barrel’ jobs, and explains the importance of empathizing with the pizza dude, because he is only trying to earn a paycheck. The author includes the metaphor “In the big pizza wheel of life, sometimes you’re the hot bubbly cheese and sometimes you’re the burnt crust,” to remind the reader of when they were the burnt crust (Adams 1). The third principle is to honor hard work in the pizza dude, and practice honor in general. Adams offers the idea that the pizza dude is simply a civilian, unlike a CEO of a huge corporation, who is trying to earn an honest living, and does not live a corrupt, rich life. The last principle, Adams explains, is to practice equality with the pizza dude, because no person is worth more than another. Adams says “I am the equal to all I meet because of the kindness in my heart,” to tie in her definition of equality to the overall importance of kindness, more specifically, towards the pizza dude (“Be Cool to the Pizza Dude” 2). Adams wraps up her essay by adding the suggestion of tipping the pizza dude for good luck, and good karma.

Response

Much like Sarah Adams wrote in “Be Cool to the Pizza Dude,” I too have an operating philosophy which is to respect other people’s time to speak and to hear them out. I think, in all honesty, it is one of the most disrespectful things to speak while someone else is speaking; interrupting them from their discourse. It’s just saying that one person’s words are more important than the other. It’s something that goes out the window these days, which seems to affect little to no people. Sure people get annoyed, roll their eyes, stomp their feet, and wait impatiently; but never really amend the situation. They just steal the speaking slot right back, finding satisfaction in the reversion back to their original statement. I believe, even if I am the last person on earth that does, that there is a symbiotic relationship that comes from listening to other people; a true win-win situation. Not only do they get the respect that they deserve to express their opinions or feelings, but I gain the knowledge and insight; in them and also myself. Listening to people, and I mean really listening, expands the picture one might have of a person in their heads into a living, breathing human being. A human being with emotions, fears, ambitions, dreams, and thoughts just like mine. Thoughts as vast and abundant as everyone else’s; not that different, yet never the exact same. By listening to someone, that someone become real. And realizing someone else in this world is real, helps us to not be so self-revolving, and see the other 7 billion people on the planet for what they are; real human beings.