Shoo Fly Pie

For those of you who don't know, I visit my grandma most Thursdays at her assisted living community, the Seville. I head down to Provo around noon, eat lunch with her and a group of her friends, stay the afternoon, and I'm back by five.

Lunch at this place is THE event for the day. For most of the residents, it's the only reason they come out of their apartments. All the old ladies form lines at the elevator with their little walkers and take their customary seats with all their friends. Then the "waiters" come out in bow ties and white shirts and serve the residents their three course lunch with desert. The whole affair takes almost two hours.

About six weeks ago, the menu listed "shoo fly pie" as the desert for the day. All the old ladies I was sitting with were quite excited. I guess they really like shoo fly pie... Mabel, who is almost completely deaf, was particularly excited. Anyway, we're eating lunch, and visiting about their kids and grand kids, and talking about the week since I last saw them. Finally, the waiters come out to serve desert, but before they do, they stop by each table and briefly talk to each of the residents. Jeni, our server, comes to our table and explains that the cooks accidentally burned the pie that morning, so we're having pineapple surprise, instead. Mabel, who can't hear very looks at me to interpret.

"Jeni says they burned the Shoo Fly Pie today, so we can't eat it", I shout in monosyllables.

Mabel looks at me incredulously. "What? No Pie?"

"Sorry Mable, she said it's burned, but this pudding looks pretty good."

"And you believe her story?" Mabel is sitting here looking really dubious about this whole burnt excuse. And really disappointed. And I can't help laughing.... like the the management would lie about burning the pie...

So this last week, when I get down to the dining room, I see that Shoo Fly Pie is once again listed as the desert du jour. Jeni assures me that this time, the pie is not burnt. I patiently sit through an hour and half of lunch. I'm excited about the prospects of finally getting to try Shoo Fly Pie, the likes of which is enough to make Mabel call the entire staff at the Seville liars.

Finally, lunch is over. They bring out the pie. And it turns out... I don't even like Shoo Fly Pie...