I went home for lunch with the Wife today, and had the 'welcome' of a surprise visit from the Mother-in-law. Tina asked her what she would like in a sandwich and gave her a few options. Cheese 'n' pickle, egg mayo, tuna mayo etc.
She chose tuna.
This is something that has got on my man boobs for quite some time now. She isnt the first 'vegetarian' ive encountered that does this, and im sure she wont be the last. Why is it, that they wont eat a cow, or a chicken, or a pig, but are happy to eat a fish. Surely a fish is a living being too?? Why is eating fish not considered the same as eating other meat?
To me, it is very much the same.
Well I was a 'selective' vegetarian as you call it, for around 25 years. When I read the title I assumed you meant people who switch on and off being vegetarian. Anyway.
So to the start of the story.
When I was young, my favourite meat was rabbit. Yum. Then we got some pet rabbits. This, from my carnivorous parents, would prove to be a mistake. At some point afterwards I converted. In those days, as far as I remember, there was not vegetarian \ pescatarian. You were vegetarian or nothing.
Anyway, I did also do a bit of fishing, and had killed fish. So I decided I would only eat what I felt I could kill myself. That was fish, but no mammals or birds.
Camping trips with the scouts were always great. With a few hundred people sat down they would call out the veggies to come to the front (just to ensure proper identification for eveyone) as I and generally one other poor b****r would step up, ensuring much hilarious banter directed our way.
So the years passed, things changed, I could actually start to see some edible food in restaurants as opposed to the have a salad leaf option, the 5000+ times total was passed for the question everyone vegetarian cannot wait to be asked: why are you vegetarian (crazy fool - obviously said silently whist the questionnaire starts salivating at the thought of some bacon).
I must confessing to having a bit of chicken in my early 20s, albeit accidentally. In a state of deep inebriation in the early hours of a weekend, post some super move shaking (I thought at the time) I ordered a fillet burger (assuming a fish fillet burger). Taking a bite I realised something was amiss, no matter how much you overcook fish it does not get that hard. I binned the remnants of the burger and had a salad burger. Aghhh back to the early 90s again menus.
Then in my mid twenties I decide to travel in the world for a year. In New Zealand, I worked on an Ostrich farm for 3 weeks. After one week I was left in charge of the entire place as the owners went to the south island for an Ostrich conference (I am not joking). Coming from London I thought they were crazy and asked them were they not worried I would steal all there stuff, but they were not worried and spies were around! Anyway, I digress, further.
They had around 60 young Ostriches and one injured it's leg, so could not walk further. The others basically started beating it up, and with their feet that's not great. So I called the farmers and was given two options = sock on the head and baseball bat or chop head off. I opted for option 2 as I'm not good at rounders, and after a last meal head was duly dispatched. A significant moment - my ability to kill animals had arrived (albeit for humane reasons, though I had always suspected I could in these circumstances).
A few more accidental meat eatings occurred thanks to my wife passing my potato fillings that contained bacon etc, and further looks of madness from my new fond spanish family wondering how any human could not eat meat. At my wedding they and the my french family possibly plotted some form of meat intervention.
Following the wedding, our first child arrived a few years later. Much joy, and excessive tiredness. My wife having to cook different food for me and my son I could see was not ideal, and I wanted my son to make his own decisions. I had long since decided I was ready to eat meat, but after 25 years or so, it's hard to make the mental switch. Anyway, decision was made, and chicken ordered from the local (very good) indian restaurant. It was great.
I still had the odd humiliation like now knowing if I wanted burgers etc medium or rare ,the first time I stopped myself from saying cooked....what was this crazy person asking me.
Anyway, I believe I have rambled enough!
