TLDR: It was my best friend’s 30th birthday, and I totally spaced about the whole thing. No gift, no plans, and zero hope of saving the day—until Pie stepped in. Now, she’s convinced I’m the most thoughtful person alive.

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The Problem:

It’s Friday night, and I’m finally home after a grueling few weeks in the U.S. for work training. My week was a mind-numbing snoozefest. A blur of 9-to-5 sessions, rushed mornings, early nights, and absolutely no time—zero, zilch, nada—to breathe, let alone think about anything else (like I don’t know, say, food?). As I started planning for another week of madness ahead in Riyadh, it hit me like a ton of bricks—I had completely forgotten my best friend’s 30th birthday. Her 30th! No call, no gift, no dinner. Nothing. Okay, I’m officially on the world’s most wanted list. And if she realizes this, I’m going to be a faint memory to her.

The thing is, my best friend and I don’t do luxury gifts—we’re all about thoughtful, sentimental gestures. But it’s not looking good. Because I got nothing. Seriously. No time carved out, not a single idea to speak of, and no energy to even think about how to salvage my self-inflicted forgot-your-birthday disaster. And this wasn’t just any birthday; this was a milestone. A big one. The kind you look back on years later. So imagine feeling awful, times infinity. That’s where my head was at (or not at, since I forgot) knowing I let it slip by. I had to make it up to her, but between juggling work and my complete lack of inspiration, I was stuck. That’s when I turned to Pie for help.

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The Pie Solution:

I sent an SOS to my co-pilot, fessing up to my full prefrontal disaster: missed birthday, no gift, no dinner plans, and no clue where to even start. Within hours, Pie had a plan. They asked all the right questions—things I hadn’t even thought to consider: How long have we been friends? What are her hobbies—does she love yoga, reading, or painting? Is there a meaningful life event coming up that I could tie the gift to? Does she prefer classic jewelry, like diamond studs or a timeless watch? Or is she into fashion, purses, or something more sentimental? They even asked about the last few gifts I’d given her and whether she liked or used them. With all these details in hand, they curated a list of customized gift recommendations perfectly matched to her personality—each was thoughtful, would be meaningful for her, and were even a touch magical.

In five days time, Pie sourced the gift, had it locally shipped, and even booked a surprise dinner for us at her favorite restaurant. To top it off, they arranged a gorgeous bouquet with a heartfelt, (belated, but we won’t mention that) note that somehow made me look more thoughtful than I actually was. I couldn’t believe how quickly they turned my complete panic into a perfectly planned surprise.

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The Resolution:

By the time I handed her the gift and we sat down for dinner, it was as if I hadn’t missed a beat. She loved everything—the gift, dinner, the flowers—and I could finally breathe, knowing I’d made it up to her. In all honesty, I don’t know how I’d have pulled this off without Pie. They were the true heroes who turned my epic fail into a heartfelt win.