pages_controller.rb

  def index
    @purchase = Purchase.new
  end

# this page is loaded and is the root_path

purchases_controller.rb

  def create
    @purchase = Purchase.new(params[:purchase])

    if @purchase.save
      flash[:notice] = 'Thanks!'
    else
      flash[:error] = 'That didn\'t work, yo'
    end
    redirect_to(root_path)
  end

webrick otuput

Processing PurchasesController#create (for 127.0.0.1 at 2010-03-17 10:05:18) [POST]
  Parameters: {"commit"=>"Submit", "purchase"=>{"zip"=>"12098", "buy"=>"yes", "why"=>"No reason", "email"=>"bobo@mlist.org"}, "authenticity_token"=>"Hcf09tKEVnW/+/wQ5l6GgJQcK3QFe6eQefuVKPDiFfU="}
  Purchase Load (0.2ms)   SELECT "purchases".id FROM "purchases" WHERE ("purchases"."email" = 'bobo@mlist.org') LIMIT 1
Redirected to http://localhost:3002/
Completed in 16ms (DB: 0) | 302 Found [http://localhost/purchases]