Is it Pie Day Today?

My across-the-street neighbor, Terry, is an older woman with a lot of spunk and a keen appreciation of fruit pie. For many years she adjudicated at regional and national Bridge Tournaments, an advanced player in her own right. Now that she is no longer working full time or traveling, she has a part time gig investigating whether or not players in an online league are cheating, or simply too novice to realize what they are doing. Her eyes sparkle when she tells me about her latest trail of intrigue.

Terry and I have an arrangement that began a couple of years ago, not long after her husband Tom passed away. I’m her fruit pie dealer, and I often deal in the stealth of night. At first it was Sour Cherry, a personal favorite. Then we moved on to Meyer Lemon and Key Lime, followed by Pumpkin. Earlier this winter we both tried the Pear with Ginger and Orange Marmalade. This evening I brought home Blackberry “with a touch of lemon” because the lattice was so intriguing. 

Sometimes I provide just a piece, particularly if there’s higher risk involved. But often I buy a whole mini pie which she insists on paying for. On those occasions I round down, charging her only what I know someone of her generation is willing to pay for a store bought pie. Mind you, they are ACME Pies from a Douglas Park neighbor’s Columbia Pike pie shop, not just any old store bought pies. I live in mock fear of the day she ventures over to the pie shop herself and my price-fixing cover is blown.

But for now I supply her with touches of affordable comfort, in the form of occasional pie. And it warms my heart to hear the eager compliance in her voice on those occasions.

“Hi Terry. This is Enid. Is it pie day today?”

“Oh, I think so! Anything but apple this time. You decide!”