At last it can be told...or can it?  This is one of those stories that should be filed under 'you had to be there,' but I am willing to give it the ol' college try so that I can share a special memory with you, the reader.

   Some years ago I worked in a trio that backed up a group of rhythm tap dancers.  Actually, I still work with them, but now our gigs are far and few between.  At that time, the early to mid 90s, we were working and touring quite a bit.

    One autumn day we found ourselves in Richmond Virginia.  Our gig was early, ending around 6PM, and by 8PM four of us found ourselves ensconced in one of our motel rooms in front of the TV watching a Yankee/Oriole playoff game.  

   The drummer, bassist, one of the dancers, and yours truly were there, and not wanting to miss a pitch of the game, we decided to order in for pizza.    We settled on a pie with peppers and onions.  I must have not had much say in the matter -- I hate both of these toppings.    

    Of course we had some beers, and the dancer was a big pot guy so I'm sure we must have indulged ourselves.  As it happened, I was the person doing the ordering so I phoned Dominos pizza.  

   Me:   Hi, I'd like to order a large pie with Peppers and Onions.

   Dominos:  Peppers and what?

   Me:  Peppers and onions.

   Dominos:  Pepperoni and Onions?

    Me:  No, no, peppers and onions.

   Dominos:  Peppers and Olives?

   Me.  Peppers and ONIONS.

   Dominos:  Please hold.....OK, One large pie with Onions and pepperoni

   Now...at first the other guys were watching the game, but gradually it began to dawn on them that I was still on the phone and repeating peppers and onions over and over.  They couldn't hear the dominos guy -- all they heard was me growing more and more agitated and repeating PEPPERS AND ONIONS.  They began to laugh, which in turn set off a chain reaction, caused me to laugh.  Eventually this morphed into hysterics.

   Dominos:  Peppers and what?

   Me:  Pep...pep...pep...BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

  Dominos:  I can't understand you.

   Me:  Just put whatever you want on it!

    So there you have it.  From that day forward 'peppers and onions' became a rallying cry for those of us who experienced the strange vortex of the Richmond, VA Dominos.  Now, whenever i see Josh, the tap dancer,  he and I call out to each other 'PEPPERS AND ONIONS,' and then we hug.