Freethought Almanac

Lighting a candle in toxic air.

Redlining Pizza

Was I too quick to call out racism?

It was about 9:00 and I called the nearby Pizza Hut. The proprietor answered with something unintelligible before saying “Pizza Hut,” then asked if I wanted carryout or delivery.

I said delivery—if I have reached the Pizza Hut across from the 7-Eleven (my local one).

He replied, “That was the first thing I said.”

I thought that was somewhat smart-ass of him, but I said, “Your first words to me were unintelligible, so that is why I asked for clarification.” I gave him the delivery address, a well-kept neighborhood of rowhouses and single-family houses, mostly African-American.

He said, “I’m sorry, but we don’t deliver to that address after 5pm.”

Of course, it was dark at that hour, but I said it’s an assisted living home on a private driveway, up a hill, off the street. Then, after pausing a second, I added, “That policy sounds a bit racist. Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider it?”

He said, “Well, when my drivers are in danger….”

I cut him off and reminded him that this is an assisted living home, on a private driveway, so there is no danger.

He insisted on his policy. I hung up on him.

Instead, I ordered from Today’s Pizza, who were happy to take my delivery order at any hour. They had delivered to that address before.

As a Realtor, I’m familiar with the concept of redlining. Was I too quick to call out racism?

Ronald Bruce Meyer

Our Fearless Leader.


Daily Almanac

August 20: Bernardo O'Higgins

Bernardo O'Higgins (1778) It was on this date, August 20, 1778, that the Irish-Chilean soldier and statesman Bernardo O'Higgins was born Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme in Chillán, Chile. His father was an Irish engineer who refused to marry his mother, the daughter of an aristocratic Chilean family. His absent father at least saw that O'Higgins was […]



Daily Almanac

Coming soon!

Follow me on twitter

@ 2020 Free Thought Almanac