It is available in a very wide range of flavors. We tend to forget about it completely, right up until we are forced to eat a big mouthful, or (god forbid) the entire pie. Usually, this happens in front of other people, with the largest helpings reserved for meals in front of large crowds. The important thing about humble pie, is not the taste, but what we learn from it when we are finished and walk away from the table.

Back in the late 1980's, I was an avid dirt biker. Most of...