Apple to the Strawberry

Apple-Strawberry is one of those fruit combos that works exactly like you'd expect. Unassuming apple, zippy strawberry -- a friendly but not quite earth-shattering mix. The pie tasted good, mind you; how could it not? Gooey, fruity, simple, and laced with cinnamon. I'm not complaining. But there's something about this pie: it's like those competent short stories we receive by the dozens at Gulf Coast (or, uh, sometimes in workshop). Competent and dull. They get all the elements right, but something is missing. What is that something? Vision? Personality? Flavor? Life experience? Who's to say? It's palpable when it's not there. So, ma petit apple-strawberry, I'm sorry to say, not my favorite of the bunch. Still, I'm glad I tried it, and it's a lovely slice. A dinner party worthy pie. By the way, if you are in Houston and you read this blog (okay, you one person, my friend from Facebook and/or relative) come to my reading at Brazos tomorrow, Friday, 4/10 at 7 pm. It's my last reading as a graduate student. Soon I will officially be a Master of the Fine Arts, a dubious distinction even in good economic times, but I'll be celebrating anyway, all week and month and next month. Or until I plunge again into self-doubt...wait...did I say that?

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