The annual Easter Pie Contest at the Methodist Church social hall descended into chaos Saturday evening when Ernestine Polk's prize-winning lemon meringue was stripped of its blue ribbon following allegations of store-bought crust usage.
According to contest organizers, an anonymous note delivered to judge Mavis Lucille Greene claimed Mrs. Polk had purchased her pie crust from Campbell's Grocery rather than preparing it from scratch as contest rules require. "I've been making pies for forty years," Mrs. Polk declared from the steps of her diner on Main Street, "and I've never once used a store-bought crust in my life."
The controversy has split the town down the middle. Dorothy Lee Campbell, proprietor of Campbell's Grocery, confirmed she stocks pre-made crusts but refused to comment on whether Mrs. Polk had purchased one. "Customer privacy is customer privacy," she noted dryly when pressed by reporters.
While Sheriff Clayton Boggs has declined to investigate what he calls "a church matter," the social repercussions have proven considerable. Thaddeus Monroe, who has attended every Easter social since 1912, recalled only one previous scandal of similar magnitude. "That was 1947, when somebody switched the sugar for salt in Judge Patterson's pecan pie," the retired railroad worker said, shaking his head. "Took three years before folks stopped arguing about it."
The disputed blue ribbon now sits in Reverend Amos Thornhill's office pending resolution. Mrs. Greene has called for a special committee meeting next Tuesday to determine whether the disqualification should stand. Second-place winner Pearl Odom has refused the ribbon, stating she would "rather not be involved in this mess."
Mrs. Polk's supporters have begun circulating a petition demanding reinstatement, while her detractors maintain that rules exist for a reason. Curtis Leroy Hayes, who mans the counter at the Corduroy Five-and-Dime, reported selling out of his entire stock of rolling pins by Monday afternoon.
