[H264]

I don't know what it is with people that tend to stay away from something like a pie that either has not been touched, or a pie with one piece left. Typically I notice this at small community events where the food is more of a side show to attract people, or at larger family events like christmas. Its like they are morally obligated to leave it there for somebody else to take, when the whole reason why it was brought in the first place was for people to consume. Strange

I have no problem at all munching on the first or last piece of pie/cake/bread/whatever. Anybody else notice something along the same lines?

[Akzis]

I don't like eating the last piece of pie in case I like it a lot and there's no more.
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Leaves me wanting revenge. REVENGE. BLARRAGAHGFAGAGAHFKDJSKLDFJSLDKJFL.

I'll eat a pie that hasn't been touched though. (I'd guess people think it's more polite to let someone else have it. Or perhaps it's contaminated with AIDS or something.)

[Hjordis]

I'll eat a pie that hasn't been touched as long as I don't have to slice it. That takes too much work.

[Donuts]

I notice my family doing this. It can be a little weird when there's one slice of bread in the fridge or a half cup of milk left.
Fortunately, I have no problem with relieving them of the last piece of pie or what not at dinner as I usually eat the slowest and that's all there is left.

[LifesEcstasy]

Yes I notice it and I am always the one to take both the first and last slices because everyone else does not. It works out I get twice as much of the good stuff as everyone else...
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[H264]

	Originally Posted by Hjordis To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I'll eat a pie that hasn't been touched as long as I don't have to slice it. That takes too much work.

haha... growing up us kids had to contribute somehow to almost every meal (typically washing the dishes), and if we wanted something extra like a pie we had to pick the berries. After all that work I never had an issue with being too lazy to put the effort into making the first cut.

[TechnicolorWeasel]

When I was a kid, I used to take the last piece of pie/cake, and get in trouble for it; even at social group (party/family reunion) events. I suppose the habit was trained out of me by my parents, I hesitate less often, but there is always a nagging little voice inside my head.

[LifesEcstasy]

	Originally Posted by TechnicolorWeasel To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	When I was a kid, I used to take the last piece of pie/cake, and get in trouble for it; even at social group (party/family reunion) events. I suppose the habit was trained out of me by my parents, I hesitate less often, but there is always a nagging little voice inside my head.

Sadly a lot of social conditioning is like that. How dare you take the last piece of cake, you are not worthy of the last piece of cake. Not put it down and think about how unworthy you are.

I remember being humiliated by an aunt this way. She was passing a plate of cookies around. It was obvious to me that she was going to pass the plate to everyone, therefore no harm in just extending my hand in preparation for the plate to come to me (I did not reach over someone else or attempt to take a cookie out of turn). At which point she withdrew the plate and made a big fuss in front of everyone. Did it make me a better person? No. Did it make me hate my aunt and see her as a supreme asshole because she thought it necessary to humiliate a 7yr old in public? Yes.

[plushbug]

No problem with taking either first or last serving, unfortunately. :/ Not good for waistline.

[nowt]

The last stays there, for those who have chosen not to have any, or are late, or what-have-we, and might yet change their minds.

And the first piece may be given to honor someone, in some small way.

[H264]

	Originally Posted by nowt To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	The last stays there, for those who have chosen not to have any, or are late, or what-have-we, and might yet change their minds. And the first piece may be given to honor someone, in some small way.

I used to think that, but that's not why I don't think. For example sometimes a pie might sit there for 1/2 or more of the event untouched, I walk up to it grab myself a slice, then not long after it is either gone or there is that fabled last slice sitting there. Maybe everyone is lazy like Hjordis when it comes to the first slice. heh

[MrFlaneur]

I read an anthropology book quite a time back and it stated that a tribe member was nominated to cut the "pie" and this chap could only have the last slice after everyone else had chosen, so obviously he had to make sure that everything was divided perfectly equally so he didnt go short.

Suppose that htis wouldnt work at a venue open to all though.

[Isabel]

Originally Posted by LifesEcstasy To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Sadly a lot of social conditioning is like that. How dare you take the last piece of cake, you are not worthy of the last piece of cake. Not put it down and think about how unworthy you are. I remember being humiliated by an aunt this way. She was passing a plate of cookies around. It was obvious to me that she was going to pass the plate to everyone, therefore no harm in just extending my hand in preparation for the plate to come to me (I did not reach over someone else or attempt to take a cookie out of turn). At which point she withdrew the plate and made a big fuss in front of everyone. Did it make me a better person? No. Did it make me hate my aunt and see her as a supreme asshole because she thought it necessary to humiliate a 7yr old in public? Yes.

That's plain evil. What was the whole point? I hate it when grown ups get away with bullying just because they can ... but that's another topic altogether.

	Originally Posted by Hjordis To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I'll eat a pie that hasn't been touched as long as I don't have to slice it. That takes too much work.

HAHA! I'm the same!

Where I come from, the superstition is that the one who takes the last piece remains a spinster. And that's quite enough to scare most people here. Like I care. the main reason I don't usually take the final piece is simply because I fill up easily to want to eat anymore by then.

[Wundervoll]

I had it drilled into me not to take the last piece, and perhaps because I used to (still do?) suffer from anxiety, it has stuck with me into adulthood, even if I don't quite understand it.

[LionsPride]

	Originally Posted by nowt To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	The last stays there, for those who have chosen not to have any, or are late, or what-have-we, and might yet change their minds. And the first piece may be given to honor someone, in some small way.

I agree, these are the premises that I think make people remiss about taking the first piece or the last. Like wedding cake, the first cut or the first piece of food is earmarked (in their head) for someone of honour and taking the last piece is often seen as rude in that it is *supposed* to go to someone that hasn't had a piece, is more deserving of seconds etc.

When I was younger I wasn't aware of these conventions for the most part. The first piece, or the first to eat was fair game and when it came to the last, a quick "Anyone want the last?" was enough to not rob someone of their piece.

When I got older I thought that being first to eat was something that I should probably not make a habit of, given the social appearances that I had discovered. Thing was, I found that if I didn't go first, no one else seem willing to either. I'd ignore the food and there were times when no one seemed willing to make the move to eat. Seeing a group of people standing around listlessly chatting while the food gets cold because everyone is waiting for a cue to eat that isn't coming seemed ridiculous. Eventually I found that if I went up to the table and served myself or took the first serving in a dish, everyone else would allow themselves a piece of the pie, so to speak. Knowing that, I now go first because someone has to.

[Warrior]

I always thought it was funny how, when it was announced that food was ready, everyone always looked around at everyone else because no one wanted to be the first to go through the line.

[Latro]

At home I tend to wind up eating or drinking things until there is just a little tiny bit left, but usually do not finish that last bit.

[mormeguil]

I don't know it seems these kind of convention does not really apply that much here. Maybe it's just my family (we do seem to love our food quite a bit).

Still WAITING after food is served is the big crime. Food gets cold and it doesn't "honor" the person who made the food.

[void]

Here's my conjecture. For the untouched pie, nobody wants to be seen as the greedy glutton who rushes to take his share at the drop of a hat. It's an image thing. So everybody engages in this pretense of being unselfish and letting someone else cut the first slice.

For the last slice, most people defer to the wisdom of the crowd. Most think "hmm, nobody has taken that slice yet ... strange ... there must be something wrong with it, otherwise surely someone would have pounced on it". But being seen as greedy could also be a factor. Leaving the last morsel for the ones most in need and all that rot.

[Kmal]

if ive had a piece, i wont take the last piece. if i havent, its mine.

[Silverity]

If there is pie, I will eat it.

My family has some routine traditions. Everyone gets at least one slice of pie for dessert, and usually whoever is up first can have a piece for breakfast, or we'll just cut the remaining pieces into an equal amount for all. When dinner is served and there are no guests over, Mom and Dad let my brother and I grab food first. If there are guests, obviously they get first.

Though even if Mom says, "Don't wait, dig in!" we do all wait for everyone to get to the table so we can do toasts.

[Haildancer]

	Originally Posted by Warrior To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I always thought it was funny how, when it was announced that food was ready, everyone always looked around at everyone else because no one wanted to be the first to go through the line.

In the Army, it is tradition that the lowest ranked Soldiers go through a chow line first. I actually prefer to be last because I don't like being hustled along by the people behind me. I'm always annoyed when those who outrank me insist I get up and get in line, even when I tell them I'd rather wait. Grrr.