“Fucking hell.”
We move onto The Long Room, which is a bit of a disappointment. The library is undergoing a bunch of restorations so only a handful of shelves actually have books on them. However, the various items on display are pretty cool, especially the Brian Boru Harp. And, of course, the Gaia installation hanging above the hall is breathtaking. A nice couple take a photo of Niall and I pretending to hold it up in our hands.
Soon we’re perusing the gift shop, and my hands are already way too full.
“You know you’ll be working here, right? You can come in here any day for the rest of the year.”
“While that’s true One Direction, I want to look the part right off the bat. And, also, not seem like the crazy instructor who keeps coming in here.”
“That’s the first time you’ve called me One Direction today. Took longer than I thought.” Niall smirks, grabbing a Trinity t-shirt off the rack.
“Who’s the tourist now?” I say, reshuffling the items in my arms as we head towards the register. I see a water bottle on clearance so I carefully place it on top of my arm pile.
“I’m buying this to show my support for you.”
I roll my eyes. “Right.”
“And it wouldn’t hurt to show support for Trinity at work.”
I laugh. “There it is.”
We step outside and the sun has gone behind the clouds, showing the slight threat of rain. I let out a big yawn, which is understandable given I’ve been up for almost 24 hours.
“You good?” Niall asks, as he grabs his bag off the counter after paying.
“Yeah, but I feel like I could use some lunch.”
“Then let us lunch.”
After breaking free from the tour, with Niall thanking and apologizing to Alan with the Yellow Hat, Niall and I are walking down Dame Street. Some of this looks a bit familiar from the drive earlier, but it’s all a bit hazy at this point.
We stop outside a place with conflicting signage. Some say Pawn Shop and some say Doom Slice.
“Okay, so I know you Americans love a good slice of pizza.” Niall says, leaning forward and opening the door under the Doom Slice sign. “I will say I’ve never had a better slice of pizza than what these blokes offer.”
We walk in to an industrial looking space, with a small bar on the right. We pass the bar and sit at one of the many empty tables, which I feel is not a great indicator at the quality of pizza I’m about to receive.
“You sure about this place?” I ask, looking around. The wall behind Niall is an homage to photography, a collection of various cameras.
“I mean, I’ve been here multiple times after the pub and every pizza I’ve had has been delicious. I know you’re from, what I believe, is the self-proclaimed pizza capital of the world.” Niall exaggerates the capital part, throwing his hands in the air.
“Listen,” I start, looking at the menu, “I’m not the biggest fan of New Haven pizza. And, before you ask, that’s specifically where the ‘great’ pizza of Connecticut, and the world, comes from. This looks like Detroit style pizza, which I will take over New Haven pizza any day of the week.”
Niall looks over the menu, as I continue to look around the place. The crowd definitely leans a bit younger. Given the aesthetic, I bet Doom Slice was trending on Instagram or TikTok at some point.
“I think, if I remember correctly, a heated argument one night between you and Michael about the existence of pineapple on pizza. I believe you were on the anti-pineapple on pizza train.”
Niall’s correct. One of the few things Michael and I had argued about on the regular was toppings on pizza. He loved Hawaiian pizza, while I could not begin to comprehend how anyone could want warm pineapple in general, let alone on pizza.
“You know what? We should get a slice in his honor,” I say, putting the menu down on the table. “Maybe I didn’t give it enough of a chance.”
The waiter comes over, and we order three slices. A Holy Pepperoni for me, The Gloat for Niall, and a Pancetta & Pineapple to split. We opt for soda instead of beer, given my need for caffeine and sleep deprivation.
“So, first impressions, what did you think of Trinity?”
I pause, taking a sip of my Diet Coke. “I think it will definitely be the classiest place I’ve ever been employed.”
“Well, I graduated from Trinity, so class is by default.”
