A
shaggy dog story that my dad likes to tell.
A business man was walking around New York City one day on one of those busy streets with lots of pedestrians and street vendors. He was feeling a bit hungry, and suddenly smelled a wonderful, sweet aroma. Looking up, he saw an unassuming kiosk with a little sign that read "Siberian Peach Pie". Intrigued, he walked up and asked the vendor just what exactly was this Siberian Peach Pie? The vendor, who spoke little English, smiled and said "Please try" and offered the business man a sample. The man took a bite and OH MY GOD, it was complete ambrosia. The peaches were the most ripe, delicious peaches imaginable, and the crust was that perfect, light, flaky crust that you usually only dream about. Of course he bought a slice, and each bite was better than the last. Completely satisfied, he went on his happy way.
The next day, after eating a mediocre lunch at a local cafeteria, he decided he needed another slice of that Siberian Peach Pie. He retraced his steps to the vendor, but the kiosk was nowhere to be seen. Figuring that the vendor was just sick for the day or something, the business man decided to try again the next day. The next day, though, the vendor was still not there. The business man checked back again every day that week, but to no avail. All the time, though, he was becoming more and more obsessed with getting another slice of Siberian Peach Pie.
After a second week of futility, he decided to try looking on other streets in the area. For a month, every day at lunchtime he tried a couple of different streets. No Siberian Peach Pie. He asked other street vendors if they'd seen it, but none could help. He even tried going to every pie shop in New York City, but none had even heard of Siberian Peach Pie.
The man's work started to suffer because all he could do was think about getting another piece of Siberian Peach Pie. Eventually he was fired, and he began to spend all of his free time hunting for Siberian Peach Pie. He tried the Internet, pie shops in other cities, everything he could think of. But still no luck. Finally, running out of money, he decided to hock his car and buy a plane ticket to Moscow. Upon arrival, he spent his last few dollars getting a train ticket to Siberia. I won't go into the hardships he endured getting there, but suffice it to say that he eventually arrived (a bit worse for the wear).
He got off the train, and was walking down the main street in Siberia, when he saw a huge sign that said: "THE SIBERIAN PEACH PIE SHOP". Mouth watering uncontrollably, he ran into the shop and asked for a slice of Siberian Peach Pie. "Sorry," said the proprietor, "we're all out." "Okay," replied the business man, "I'll have apple."