Posted on 12/22/2005 6:16:21 PM PST by real saxophonist
Deliverer delivers: Fire out ... free pizza
T. M. Fasano
December 21, 2005
Gene Graff will forever be known as Domino's Delivery Driver Superhero.
Graff of Windsor delivered in a big way Monday night, and it was more than a normal extra-cheese and sausage pizza.
To Graff, who has been a Domino's delivery driver for nearly six years, what he did while on his route was nothing special.
To Scott and Ashley Romme, Graff saved their home in the New Windsor East subdivision.
Graff, 47, was delivering pizza to the Romme home around 6 p.m. Monday when he noticed an open door and smoke coming out of the house. Ashley Romme, pregnant with her due date in two weeks, was home alone as her husband was in Fort Collins with their three children and the dog.
Romme had ordered four pizzas, expecting company for a night of Bunko. She lit a candle on the mantle of the fireplace when something sparked and the wreath caught fire. Standing next to the wreath was a 12-foot Christmas tree.
While Romme was on the phone calling 911, Graff transformed himself from pizza dude to firefighter.
"Through the front window I could see this fire going above her fireplace. The wreath had ignited and it was going," Graff said. "I just went and poured a few pitchers of water on it and it was out. At the time I didn't think it was that big of a situation."
By the time the Windsor-Severance Fire Department arrived, Graff had put the fire out.
"It was pretty weird to go to someone's house and see it on fire. I was pretty calm about the whole thing," Graff said. "If it was my house, I'd probably be pretty freaked out about it."
Scott Romme said the damage to the home is in the vicinity of $10,000, but he said it could have been much worse: "There he was rushing buckets of water and standing in his pizza dude outfit playing firefighter."
Ashley Romme agreed: "He acted very quick and was very calm. I think it was divine intervention. He showed up and he was as calm as he was and tried to put my mind at ease as I was hysterical."
Domino's manager Angelina Martinez said Graff might be a part of television commercial spot because of his efforts. Windsor-Severance Fire Department Chief Jerry Ward said his department will probably recognize Graff in a special way.
Like any full-fledged superhero, Graff left his mark by not charging the Rommes for the pizza.
"I said, 'Don't worry about the pizzas. They're free. If you don't want anything to do with them, you can feed them to the fire department,' " Graff said.
Before the Rommes had an opportunity to thank Graff, he was gone.
"I had another delivery in my car so I kind of bolted out of there. I didn't want the next customer to be upset," Graff said. "I didn't notice the woman was pregnant, either. She'll be happy to hear that, I suppose."
That makes him a hero in and of itself.... ;)
awesome job.
awesome!
Six years seems a tad long to be delivering pizzas, but then, I don't even know what Bunko is, so there you have it.
I love when people post stories like this...... thank you
That also means she is hhhhhhhhhhhhot.
My nephew's third job is delivering Pizzas to support his wife and three boys.
I could see him doing this, God love him. The only difference is that he would be talking on the phone to me.
That's why I did. Thanks
Police departments have (had? - ask Joe Friday) entire Bunko Divisions, so it must be really profitable, sexy or fun. Or somehow involves donuts.
Bunko is fraud or confidence schemes.
If I remember correctly, Bunko is dice game that is pretty popular and gaining. It involves tables of four and I hear that a group of 20 players is ideal. However, I don't have a clue what exactly you do with the dice.
So "Bunko" is a synonym for "Social Security", then?
By God, I just looked it up - it is!
Of course, whenever I do, it gets relegated to 'chat', where no one will see it...
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