Washington Cherry Pie

The doorbell jangled as a couple walked into the Smith Family Farms Cafe and took a seat at the crowded bar counter. Vera handed them menus and greeted them cheerfully, “Happy Independence Day!” 

“Hi” the man replied. “We’re only having dessert. What have you got?”

Vera recited the list of ice cream flavors, shakes, cakes, and pies to the couple. “Oh, and we have a July 4th special today,” she added, her eyes twinkling. “Our famous and very special Washington Cherry Pie.”  

“I’ve heard your cherry pies are great,” the woman exclaimed. “Why is it special?”

We bake our pies fresh on-site, and we use cherries from a special tree. A tree that grew from a seed from the cherry tree that George Washington himself cut down when he was a little boy. 

“Really?” exclaimed the woman, her eyebrows raised. “That’s incredible!”

“It is incredible,” Vera agreed. “I’m sure you know the story about little George cutting down his father’s cherry tree with a hatchet when he was 6 years old.” She scrunched her face and mimicked a young boy’s voice: “Honest Father, I cannot tell a lie; I cut down the cherry tree.” 

“Yes, I’ve heard it,” laughed the man, “but I thought that was a legend and didn’t really happen.” 

“Oh, it’s a true story alright,” Vera said. “You see, many years later, Washington gave some cherry pits from that tree to his friend James Smith, a Founding Father and signer of the Declaration of Independence. James Smith was the ancestor of the family who owns the farm and cafe today. He told the story to his family, who passed it down from each generation to the present day. Look it up; he’s in the history books. And Wikipedia.”   

Everybody sitting at the counter bar had stopped talking, and they listened to Vera with wide eyes. A couple of people scrolled on their phones, looking for references to James Smith. 

Vera continued, “There are a dozen cherry trees grown from those seeds in  the Smith family orchard, and we use the cherries for our pies during the 4th of July week, for as long as the cherries hold out. But this is probably the last week; when the cherries are gone, the pies will be too.”

The woman looked at the man, and he nodded. “We’ll take two slices of cherry pie à la mode and coffee,” he said. “And if we really like it, we’ll buy a pie to go, maybe more. 

“Coming right up,” Vera said as she filled their cups with coffee. “You’re gonna love it.” 

Another man at the bar piped up, “ma’am, you sold me. I just looked up James Smith, and he was a Founding Father who knew Washington. So I know your story must be true. I would like some cherry pie à la mode too, please.” 

“Same for us,” chimed in a woman seated with a man and little boy, who Vera supposed must be her husband and son. “With ice cream.” 

Vera gave them a thumbs-up and headed into the kitchen to prepare the desserts. She chuckled as she heated the pies and dolloped a big scoop of vanilla ice cream onto the plates. What an epic day this was going to be. Her boss, Joey Smith, had promised the servers a $2 bonus for every slice of cherry pie they sold this month, and a $100 bonus for whoever sold the most. 

Truth be told, the cherries in the pies weren’t from Washington’s tree at all; they were just regular Bing cherries from some random orchard nearby. 

Vera wanted that money—deserved that money—more than anyone else, and she was determined to earn it by hook or by crook. So she spun the patriotic story about Washington’s cherry tree—pure fiction but believable—and was selling slice after slice of cherry pie, far more than any other server this month. 

Customers shared the story with their friends and neighbors, and people were coming to the little cafe from miles around, eager to taste a sweet piece of American history.

Vera returned from the kitchen and placed the plates of cherry pie à la mode in front of the customers at the bar, and watched them enthusiastically dig in with their forks. She silently counted the bonus money she had just made, and inwardly smirked. Maybe George Washington could never tell a lie, but she certainly could. Especially when it comes to selling cherry pie.