Where No Pie Belongs

Getting Ready to Teach

I’m in my classroom, trying to muster up some flair. 

And then, I see a student has baked two pies to share with our class.  She made an apple pie with a lattice crust and a key lime pie with a graham cracker crust.  One student sees the pies and says, “I’m having the best day ever.”

Students gather, grab forks and plates, and we feast on pies in the midst of writing lessons.  It’s still morning.  This whole thing seems crazy.  

A View of Campus

We have pie where no pie should be, for no reason at all, other than a student wanted to bring the class a treat.   We can’t stop talking about these pies, their crusts, and the whole experience of eating together in a college classroom when we’re supposed to be writing.

We eat and write, talk and eat.

Key Lime Pie

Meanwhile, I take a picture of this beautiful crust.  In the world of baking, a crust represents the foundation and the substance that holds the filling in.  It keeps everything together. 

We did feel held in–held together–by an unexpected treat.  And the writing seemed stronger, but maybe I’m imagining things.

Living with flair means bringing a pie where no pie belongs.