A Slice Can Be an Occasion

Happy National Dessert Day! This is one holiday we can celebrate without changing a thing about our plans. When people think about dessert, they often picture a special occasion. A birthday cake. A pie for Thanksgiving. Something brought out after a family dinner while everybody decides whether they’re too full to eat it. They usually aren’t. I like those occasions. I also think dessert belongs in the middle of a regular week. Sometimes you’ve spent Wednesday doing all the things that needed to be done, and you want one thing that didn’t need to be done. A slice of pie fits that job. Sometimes you want to bring a treat to a coworker or a neighbor. Sometimes you’re heading to see family and would rather arrive with something to share than another story about how busy you’ve been.

People put more thought into choosing dessert than you might expect. At the shop, one person knows exactly what they want and orders before I can finish saying hello. The next person studies the case, asks a few questions, and then says they need another minute. I’m happy to give them that minute. A good decision shouldn’t be rushed. Then comes the question of whether you’re choosing for yourself or for other people. A flavor you love might not be the one your family would vote for. The sensible solution may be to bring home more than one. I realize a pie shop owner is a biased source on this matter, but I still think the reasoning holds up.

The best part of dessert often happens after you get it home. You take the pie out of the box, find plates, and suddenly people gather around the table. Somebody says they only want a small piece and then comes back for another. Somebody asks who picked the flavor. The conversation goes on longer than it would have if everyone had taken their food to separate rooms. That’s been on my mind after the hurricane. Many people have had enough difficult tasks and conversations lately. A simple chance to sit with someone and enjoy a slice doesn’t fix those things, but it can make room for a better moment in the day. There’s no need to wait for an occasion. Today is Wednesday. It’s National Dessert Day. If you need a reason, either of those will do.

Now tell me what you’d choose. Imagine someone has brought a single slice of Right Slice pie to your door and somehow knows your favorite. What flavor is in the box? And are you eating it now, or saving it until everyone else has gone to bed?