Catch that pie!

During one of our ER visits, when I was sick with the fish blockage, Lilith started telling us that she was hungry. I asked the Emergency Room Triage nurse if she thought we had time to go to the cafeteria before they called me back and she assured me that we did so off to the cafeteria we went.
One of the things that I have noticed, (even pre surgery this was always something that bothered me), at almost EVERY hospital that I have ever worked at, (except Porter Adventist in Littleton, Colorado because back in the day it served a vegan menu), is how UNHEALTHY the menu is at their cafeterias! My current hospital is no exception. Granted they have a wonderful salad bar but they also have a freezer with ice cream novelties and a huge rack of candy and snacks right next to the registers. They also have the revolving, lighted tower of deserts! Oh, yes, this thing is as tall as me and as big around as I probably once was (and could easily be again if I ever dared to start opening the tower door and started partaking of the calorie laden goodies inside!). Lilith had never seen anything like it. She was entranced. Especially entranced by a huge meringue (I am sure she thought it was whipped cream which she loves)covered piece of lemon pie. She watched it with wide eyed wonder as it circled round and round on the shelf that was just at her eye level. Then she turns excitedly to me and says, "Momma get it get it!", as it was coming around again. In my dehydrated and drug filled state I didn't know what she was talking about at first. "Catch it Mama! Catch it! There Mama!" She exclaimed pointing and jumping up and down! I started trying to think of a way to tell he that she probably wouldn't like it because she has never had lemon pie or meringue and how it was not appropriate to have pie for dinner, etc etc, when she saw the handle on the case and opened it and tried to "catch" the slice of pie herself. It was so funny and sad at the same time because I knew we couldn't (okay wouldn't) get it for her. She looked up at me triumphantly when she got the door open at the right moment, just as the slice was centered in its opening. I had to frown at her and apologize and tried in vain to explain to her that even though she had "caught" the pie, she couldn't have it. Needless to say, she didn't take it well, but she did eventually eat the yogurt and berries that we compromised on. It was also in the sugar tower and I held her up {this sort of healthy treat was on one of the higher shelves} so she could "catch it" also but I could tell it wasn't as much fun as "catching" that first iceberg sized piece pie!