Tonight at the dining hall as I re-filled a plate of ham for my hollow-legged toddler, I was stopped by a student.
“Are you ona dite?”
“Um, no.” Do I look like I should be on a diet? Or was just it the second plate of ham?
“Well, that’s the vegtaryun.”
“The ham?”
At this point, somewhat rudely, I walked away and sat down. I suppose I could have explained that the vegetarian option is next to the regular meat option on the staff buffet and that I, being part of the staff (sort of), was getting a plate of ham for my child and that I had already filled my plate with the vegetarian option, although I am not on a “dite”. Though, I can’t see how this was any of his concern.
Instead, I decided to walk away, somewhat disturbed and amused. I don’t know what bothered me more: a) that it was considered acceptable of a child to ask an adult stranger if she is dieting, b) that vegetarian cuisine is considered diet food (especially considering tonight’s offering was fried potato cakes with sour cream), or c) that a child of perhaps 10 years even has a concept of dieting.
Yes, I realize that he was only about 10 and I know my children do and will say embarrassing and impolite things. This is why I did my best not to make some snide retort, as I would have done to an adult in that situation—you know, that lightening wit of mine.
Just for the record, I’m not a full-fledged vegetarian. I’m what you might call a meat-eating vegetarian or an ovo-lacto-pollo-bovo-pesce-porchetta-vegan. To put it simply, I love a good veggie burger with cheese and bacon.
3 comments:
I am an omnivore, always have been, always plan to be, but there is a little vegetarian who lives inside of me, so I give her some carrots so she can be quiet while I eat my steak
I just don't like to have to declare--like a political affiliation. Why can't I just really like vegetables and vegetarian-type cuisine some days of the week and the other days enjoy some meat? I like to think it's really just more fully living the word of wisdom--you know the "eat meat sparingly" section we all like to ignore . . .
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