Japanese pie, anyone?

    When we lived on the farm in Gibsonville, we had Father's Day dinners out in the yard. Mother's brothers and sisters would come -- my uncles Clinton and Marvin, aunts Effie, Opal, Annie and Lucy and many of their children, too. Since there were eight of us kids, most of the cousins could find someone their age to pal around with. 

    My maternal grandfather and guest of honor, Grandpa Doss, lived in a small mobile home next to our house and Mother put the dinners together for him. The ones arriving came carrying a favorite dish or two. Bowls of potato salad and green beans, homemade biscuits and deviled eggs were spread across the tables outside. I remember white tablecloths which were probably bed sheets, for I doubt that my mother ever owned a fancy table covering of any kind.

    On one of those occasions, we were sitting on the ground and anywhere we could find a place, doing what we always do at family gatherings, stuffing ourselves and joking as if we had no worries. Uncle Marvin was sitting next to me when we heard someone ask, "Where's the German chocolate cake?"

    My sister Phyllis used to bake a German chocolate cake and I am sure that the person asking was hot on the trail of her delicious and somewhat famous confection. Uncle Marvin piped up and answered the question. 

    "It's right there beside the Japanese pie."

    Everyone within earshot laughed out loud and long. The humor falls flat here but nevertheless, the quick-witted remark has withstood the test of time. I even remember it being retold later and suspect that my brothers and sisters remember it, too. I can still see Uncle Marvin's michevous grin of satisfaction at being witty, his dark hair and eyes, the dimples and the unforgettable wink.