LEWISTON – The steam coming from behind the half-wall could have been from the flying feet of the employees as much as it was from the pizza oven around which they were bustling.
At 5:30 p.m, one hour before kickoff, there were two hundred pizzas down, many more to come for the full slate of employees at the House of Pizza on Lincoln Street.
“I had to take the weekend off last year,” said Paul Libby, who was one of the many (11 in all) employees wielding a cooking utensil and preparing pizzas for the orders coming in on a phone that never stopped ringing. “I don’t know exactly what to expect, but it’s been busy so far.”
Aside from the 11 in-store employees, six drivers had cars warming outside waiting to deliver those last minute orders.
By the entryway, stacks of unfolded pizza boxes sat waiting to be stuffed. Six people waited in line for takeout orders, and the parking lot outside was overstuffed with cars. Of course, TVs are blaring at both corners of the dining area.
“I’m sure it’ll pick up at halftime, too,” said Libby.
6:15 p.m. – 15 minutes to kickoff
Lines stretched five-deep on at least nine cash registers at the Auburn Wal-Mart on Sunday night, many of whom were buying last-minute food and beverage items for Super Bowl parties.
One cart had six bags of chips and four different kinds of dip, while another had four cases of beer.
In the cooler where dips are normally chilled, only bare shelves greet customers, and the mammoth stack of soda and beer that once begged shoppers for attention is nothing more than a few stray cases in disarray.
Employees in blue smocks circulate through the sections, putting things on shelves as best they can, trying to fill the void left by hungry shoppers.
6:37 p.m. – Kickoff
The sports department at the Sun Journal, and those in news also working on Super Bowl coverage, dig in to pizza and soda and hunker down for a long night.
Sports editor Steve Sherlock, managing editor/visuals Paul Wallen, design editors Ryan Powell and Megan Lavey, graphic artist Pete Gorski, staff photographers Russ Dillingham and Amber Waterman and copy editor Tony Blasi stare at computer screens, shifting, clicking and typing, something they will all do between mouthfuls of food for the next four hours.
7:10 p.m. – First Quarter
Mark Proctor, 22, of Lisbon has his back turned behind the counter at Roopers Beverage and Redemption on Main Street in Lewiston. There are no customers in the store, and haven’t been in a while.
“The computers went down earlier,” said Proctor, looking up momentarily from the small television screen nestled in the back left corner of his space behind the counter. “There were like 40 people all waiting for beer and food, and we had to have them wait while we fixed everything.”
Proctor was wearing a bright red Patriots cap with the old team logo of the patriot standing over a football, and is a die-hard fan.
“I had to see this game,” said Proctor. “If they had told me I had to work and there was no way for me to watch the game, I probably would have quit. I love football, and if you love football, you have to watch this game. I only wish I was working at a bar, so I had a bigger T.V.”
7:51 p.m. – Second Quarter
Randall Greenwood of Wales has been owner or part owner of Mixer’s in Sabattus for more than 10 years, and has never really opened up for the Super Bowl. It is, after all, a Sunday, and Greenwood’s business has attracted crowds on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, but not commonly on Sunday.
“This really is a smaller gathering and not an advertised party,” said Greenwood. “Although, I am technically working, I guess, washing some dishes and serving people.”
Greenwood’s girlfriend works at Thatcher’s Restaurant in the Auburn Mall, and that closed at 5 p.m.
“We all wanted a place to hang out and watch with friends, so I opened up.”
Thirty people, some friends and some just passers-by surprised at the fact that Mixers was open, crowded around one of two televisions at the bar, and many cheered as the Patriots scored just before halftime to knot the score.
9:05 p.m. – Third Quarter
The bright blue Terry Glenn jersey had a smudge on the number on the back.
“Yeah, that’s really signed,” said Jeff Toby, a paramedic at United Ambulance in Lewiston. “I got that from a friend of mine that works with the team.”
Toby’s “friend” is Jeff Davidson, the team’s offensive line coach.
“I met him about six or seven years ago,” said Toby. “We met while we were out enjoying a few beers and we got to talking. I didn’t know who he was until he told me. I ended up sending him a couple of lobsters and then he sent me some things, like this jersey. Some of the stuff was marked P.C for Pete Carroll.”
Toby, along with paramedics Todd Tracy, Mike Blakemore and Jeff Chadbourne, and dispatcher Jamie Bannister all watched on the television in the dispatch room as New England scored quickly to make it 14-7.
A few series’ later, it was 14-14.
“This is the kind of game I like, right here,” said Toby. “A nice close game.”
9:40 p.m. – Fourth Quarter
Veronica Perreault wasn’t supposed to be tending bar at the Blue Goose on Sunday night. In fact, she was at home watching the game when the call came. The bartender was sick, and they needed a replacement.
Her elbow on the bar, Perreault watched one of two televisions at the popular local bar, between drink orders and phone calls.
“I try to watch the game,” said Perreault. “The phone calls, though, and the washing dishes and the pouring beer – I am not watching it too much, but I’m finding the time when I can.”
The Patriots scored a touchdown to go ahead 21-14, and people in the bar cheered. Another score, this time a field goal by Adam Vinatieri, pushed the lead to 24-14, and a small celebration broke out.
Some patrons, though, continued to fear the worst.
10:15 – Game over
A quick drive past House of Pizza showed little signs of life. The parking lot was empty and the lights were off. Too many pizzas in too short a time, and apparently too much hustle and bustle to stay open late.
Parking lots at convenience stores, too, were empty, as was the lot at Dunkin’ Donuts.
Normally, at least two or three cars are there throughout the night.
Back at the newspaper, after shouts of “Yes!” permeated the room when Rodney Harrison intercepted Donovan McNabb for the second time, the editors and writers went back to work, putting together the pages of this morning’s paper.
There would be time later for celebration, not just at the paper, but at all of the other places where people had to spend time making money Sunday night.
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