Thursday, April 12, 2012

Alpha Pizza, Omega Pizza

On our first "real" date, Aimee and I shared a pizza at Rudy's Pizzeria. On the night before she died, we had another Rudy's pizza with our boys. Our alpha and omega.

Aimee loved Rudy's--she loved pizza in just about any form. On many trips to St. Louis, we would stop at Shakespeare's Pizza in Columbia, one of her favorite undergrad hangouts. No trip home was complete without ordering Imo's--ultra-thin crust "St. Louis Style" pizza. We still have three bottles of Imo's Italian dressing in our pantry.

But Rudy's was our alpha and omega. Our first and last.

I remember so many firsts with Aimee. The first movie we saw in the theater was The Waterboy. (Yes, I'm a little embarrassed to admit it.) Our first bar hop was to the non-defunct Cabaret in Kansas City. The first trip we took together was a midnight escape to Booneville, Missouri. Yes, Booneville. (We drew it out of a hat). We scared some poor Best Western clerk when asking for a room at 2:00 AM and hiked Missouri's Katy Trail the next day.

I remember the first time I said "I love you" in the kitchen of the 1220 House, a rental on Rhode Island Street in Lawrence she shared with Steve and Erika. I remember the first time we kissed, rather old-fashioned like, on the porch of that same house after a date.

The firsts are easy to remember. The lasts, not as much. I never planned on any of them being the "last."

It's a call to appreciate as many moments as we can. Have a good Thursday. Live big.

8 comments:

Anthony Rapino said...

Thank you, Aaron. Keep those firsts close, and I'll try to take your advice and live big.

Doug Murano said...

Thank you for sharing this. Really.

K.C. Shaw said...

It's the little things that take on the most importance, after. I love that you and Aimee went to Booneville on a lark. :)

Kelli said...

I love this story! And pizza is the best food invented. Keep the stories coming!

Aaron Polson said...

Anthony - Only way to go, I figure.

Doug - You're welcome. Really. This is healing for me.

K.C. - Yeah. Booneville. I'll tell the rest of that story one day.

Kelli - I will (keep the stories coming). I have thirteen + wonderful years of them.

speedy said...

The little things are often the best things. Midnight road trips are always good for some great stories

ChrisP said...

Booneville!? KT (or, if you prefer, Katy) Trail!?

Alayna and I tried to bike that one year. We only lasted 3 days. Surprisingly, bike seats are not all that comfortable. In fact, they can be downright painful.

Wonderful stories. It may be cliche to say, but those little moments in between the big ones are what make life worth living.

Norma/Noramaria said...

The simplest things in life are the most valuable for those who appreciate. Thanks for sharing such a profound personal and intimate part of yourself. You made me remember my husband who passed away 3 years ago in December after 2 years marriage.