The heat is inescapable. The traffic is thick and loud. The People in the streets laugh and carry on. The roaches move with freedom along the concrete floors, hiding from any instrument of clean. 

This has been the story of my life in Atlanta, Georgia. I left East Lansing over two months ago to begin a new chapter. My uncle, Anthony (everyone calls him Tony), has put me up in his apartment on a luxurious air mattress and has fed me well. The primary goal of my new venture is to help grow a business from the ground up. Located in the Sweet Auburn Curb Market, our two restaurants occupy the southeast corner. Grindhouse Killer Burgers serves up award winning Burgers and hand-spun milkshakes with unapologetic attitude. A projector on the wall shows B-movies while you wait for your order, either dine-in or carry-out. 

Next door is Three Cities Pizza. During the day you can get it by the slice, with a salad and drink for only 8.50. The business wanes between the hours of 3 and 5; but come the nighttime, we deliver anywhere within a five mile radius. And sometimes farther if I’m not paying attention. The pizza place is for all of those transplants that moved to Atlanta for work, and left behind the pizza they know and love. If you like it thin and foldable, get a New York style. For those that indulge in the thick and round variation, Chicago’s your kind of pie. But for me, my uncle, and anyone that hails from Motown; buttery and crispy crust reminds you of your native home in Detroit. At Three Cities, we want our customers to eat the pizza they grew up with. 

As for me, I’m doing what I can to make and save that cheddar. College is the single most expensive thing I’ve ever dared to invest in. That investment, while never guaranteed to pan out, is only worth a damn once completed. I know that, I truly do. I endeavor to get a bachelors degree, either two years from now or ten. 

The very simple truth is this: I Fucked Up. It happens to everybody, and it happened to me. I make no excuses and offer limited explanations. That does not change the fact that I am smart, talented and bright. Look at what I just did with a pen and paper. I made you hungry. 

I’m hungry too. Hungry for more. 

Buon Appetito, 

Daniel J. Neebes