Why Can’t Life Be Like Pizza?

Andy V. Roamer’s ‘Why Can’t Life Be Like Pizza?’ strikes a lifelike bullseye. It could serve as a sociological study on adolescent identity formation, while bringing smiles to stuffy academicians (like me), as we cheer on its hero. I can’t wait for The Pizza Chronicles, two!In some ways, fourteen-year-old RV is a typical teenager. “Sometimes I feel like I’m made of different parts and can’t figure out how they all fit together anymore.” RV has added pressures, such as being a second generation Lithuanian American, coming to grips with his sexuality and humanity, high family tension, and a homophobic high school climate.Written as his journal, we learn all his bewilderment. How much of his heritage should he incorporate, versus his current culture? Is he gay if he likes girls? What about his attraction to Bobby, his jock lab mate? And oops, what does it mean if he doesn’t notice Bobby is black until introducing Bobby to his parents. Luckily, his teacher and mentor, Mr. Aniso, is able to help.First of all, I love how RV introduces his family. Here’s his reaction to his Dad’s Lithuanian pride. “This thing isn’t good in the US or that thing was better in the Old Country. If he’s not happy here I’m sorry. What am I supposed to do about it? Am I stuck with his heritage? I have my hands full managing my own life. I have my own heritage, don’t I?” And when his younger brother complains, “We were born here,” his dad snaps back. “If you born in barn, you horse?” Snark, meet snark.In contrast, RV’s mother is softer. For example, when young and frightened by bullying classmates, his mother soothes him in Lithuanian. “Translated, that sentence means, ‘Don’t worry. You’re smart. When you grow up, you’ll show them.’ Actually, not ‘you’ll show them,’ but ‘you’ll wipe all their noses.’ Lithuanians have a funny way of expressing themselves. Not sure I aspire to wiping anyone’s nose when I get older, but that’s what they say.” It is this running commentary that makes the novel shine, because we get to see the difference between RV’s words or behaviors and his internal interpretations of them. And don’t we all have a skewed vision of ourselves?RV’s humor saves him time and again, like when he was sent to a better neighborhood to spare him violence, and he notes, “I still have gotten a few black-and-blue marks with ‘made in West Roxbury’ on them, so as far as I’m concerned it isn’t any perfect place either.” RV’s personality is pure, clean. Not that he’s naïve, but he keeps struggling to be a decent person, even after he coins a nasty phrase about Mr. Aniso, his gay teacher… to distance himself from the violence he sees heaped on other gay kids. Then, he visits Mr. Aniso after the older man has faced adversity, and comes to appreciate his teacher’s bravery and strength of character.And when Bobby and RV’s friendship progresses to the point of honesty, we all feel RV’s relief. “You don’t know how bad holding secrets feels until you let go of them,” RV tells his diary. It’s a sentiment I recall learning in adolescence, when all of life felt too heavy to handle alone. Sharing confidence with trusted friends allowed me to feel like RV. “Life might not be nirvana, but it’s still full of promise.”I would have loved to have read Andy V. Roamer’s Why Can’t Life Be Like Pizza? at that point in my life. While simply telling one boy’s story, Roamer addresses many questions universal to the American teen’s experiences. Bravo for introducing us to a wonderful young man. This is a great gift for any confused teen.