Stupid Joy, there are tools to get the pit out, which also have a slicer too, in them and one can get such a tool at William-Sonoma, or on line from other sources. She's an idiot and a damned drama-queen!
Bingo or cut it into 1/4’s and the pit literally falls out of the last 1/4...
Check out #55. Written before I read yours, lol.