Let them eat pie

"We must have a pie," David Mamet wrote in "Boston Marriage." "Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie."

Towards the end of the winter and during the beginning of the spring semester, days are slowly getting longer but piles of homework are simultaneously growing taller. Cause for stress? I think yes. One solution to this stressful predicament? Pie. Pie is delicious, relatively simple to bake, readily available to purchase, and perfect to enjoy with friends.

So you've decided on pie. Will you make your own pie? Go to a restaurant and order a slice? Purchase a whole pie from a store? Purchase an individual slice from a grocery store? Or have cafe courier deliver you a slice of pie? It is incredible that a need for pie can be satisfied in so many different ways. The way in which you choose to satisfy your desire for pie will be based on a variety of different values and perceptions. Here is my mind-map when navigating the pie possibilities:

• I want apple pie.
• Although going out to eat would be fun, it is too expensive.
• I should make a pie with friends, the process would be a fun activity!
• I have flour, but need apples, milk, eggs, cinnamon, and other ingredients...
• Go to the nearest grocery store and purchase ingredients.

Notice, my reasoning for not satisfying my need for pie at a restaurant was based on price. The average slice of pie at a restaurant in Bozeman is $8 or $9. The ingredients I would need to purchase in order to bake a pie would total to around $16 (six apples for $3 + a half gallon of milk $2 + 12 eggs $3 + 16 oz of unsalted butter $4 + cinnamon $4). This is not including the value of time, gas or cooking equipment required. 

Although I thought I valued low pricing, in this example, could it be argued that an underlying desire was social; to spend more time with friends? Tell me what you think. 

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