Published: June 19, 2009 10:23 pm      

‘White lie cake’ leads to a just dessert

I’ve chuckled about the following story all week. Nevertheless, I think we all take “white lies” too lightly.

A new church member had been asked by her ladies’ group to bake a cake for a fundraiser. Wanting to do everything just right and make a good impression, she decided on an angel food cake. After all, how could you mess that up, Alice thought.

The mother of three had a busy morning and left the cake in the oven too long. The center dropped flat.

She used a roll of bathroom tissue to make a mound in the middle, then slathered on lots of soft, white, creamy icing. The finished product appeared to be a work of art. “Well, it looks scrumptious,” Alice said, carefully placing it in the box.

Wanting to make sure no one discovered her little secret, Alice gave her daughter strict instructions to arrive at the church first and buy the cake. No one would ever have to know what happened. The church would get money for the cake, and her peers would think she was a great team member.

However, the cake was purchased before the daughter arrived. Alice was horrified and lost a night’s sleep visualizing her shame and disgrace after everyone had found out what she had done.

The following day, Alice had to attend a fancy luncheon/bridal shower. The hostess had snubbed Alice on several occasions, so she greeted the woman politely, then kept her distance.

After an elegant meal, the dessert was presented. A beautiful mound of cake impeccably frosted with white icing. Alice froze. There was no mistaking it. That cake was hers.

Several dignitaries attended the luncheon, and the mayor was especially impressed with the cake.

Addressing the hostess, he said, “What a beautiful cake! I’ve never seen anything quite like it!”

The hostess, a prominent church member, was quick to reply, “Why, thank you so much. I baked it myself.”

Alice may have been off the hook for her deception, but you and I will eventually reap the consequences of little white lies. Give them enough time and they will turn into black, ugly tentacles wrapping us in more trouble than we want to face.

Deception also cancels out creativity. In all probability, had Alice decided to take the high road, she probably could have figured out a way to turn the flat angel food cake into a unique dessert. Everyone could have enjoyed it.

And no one would have wound up getting their just desserts.

— E-mail:

bdavis@register-herald.com