Written by H. Scott McGillicuddy, Freelance Contributor.

Jenny Jones (above), 22, used to be a very successful Papa John’s delivery driver, nearly doubling her income last year in tips. “As a college student,” Jones said. “It helps being universally adored.” But that adoration fell short last week when Jones was reportedly seen at the drive-thru of a local Wendy’s during her shift. “She didn’t even take her sign off,” enraged Papa John’s manager Ned Stevenson told reporters Friday. “What are our customers to think when they see one of our own lowering themselves to the level of supporting another chain?” He went on, “I mean, it’s like we always say, ‘better ingredients, Papa John’s.”

In fact, the confused Jones, who stopped at Wendy’s for a quick bite between deliveries, requested a large pizza from the menu intercom. “I told her, ‘this is Wendy’s. We don’t sell pizza,'” cashier Greg Gregorio informed reporters. Jones, who was visibly upset about Wendy’s lack of pizza options, apparently settled for a cup of chili.

Jones was seen and photographed by a fellow motorist waiting in line to get his own Wendy’s fix. Lenny Abrams, a local employee of competitor pizza establishment Little Caesar’s, took a picture of Jones on his smartphone and immediately sent it to his boss in an attempt to spoil the good name of Papa John’s.

When asked about his own employee, who also was supporting Wendy’s over his own restaurant, Little Caesar’s proprietor Jack Daggins, audibly amused, told reporters, “We’re Little Caesar’s, man. I don’t even eat here.”

Jones was promptly fired after Stevenson received a text message from competitor Daggins, apparently an old high school classmate of his. “I can’t imagine why she’d go anywhere to eat but Papa John’s,” he remarked. “We’ve always been a family brand.” He paused, tearing up. “It’s like, the ones you love are sometimes the ones that hurt you the most.”

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H. Scott McGillicuddy is an award-winning essayist, author of creative nonfiction, and former cartoon character.