Following up on the tradition of Ficali and I freely and unabashedly stealing each other's phrases and titles, I will discuss the topic of Institutional Meat. What is "institutional meat" one may ask? Well, actually, I'm not quite sure, but maybe together - the readers and I - can conquer this topic and finish with a better than rudimentary grasp on this subject.
The topic came up as Ficali and I were having a drink and I was downing chicken wings.
"Have you ever seen Monday Night Football (MNF)?" I asked her, knowing full-well what the answer was (after she called a football field a "footie pitch" the other night).
"No, but I guess you want to watch it."
So after showing her my apartment, in hopes that I can rent it out (under the table of course) to her and move into a downtown loft, I asked her if she wanted to join me at a local pub for wings, beer, and MNF. She reluctantly agreed and we headed 2 blocks to 6th and Washington.
While at the bar, I ordered an obscene amount of chicken wings, knowing I wouldn't finish them, but for $5.50 why not have the little backup chicken in the fridge at home? So as I was digging in to my over-sauced wings of pleasure, I wanted to inquire with Ficali - as I like to with all vegetarians - as to why she was a vegetarian. Now, most of the time the response falls into a category or combination of categories such as the following:
1) The person does not believe in the cruelty of animals
2) It conflicts with their religious beliefs
3) Health reasons
4) They watched that 20/20 episode where they showed the beef carcasses on the floor
I'm sure other's could have input regarding the reasons they have for being a vegetarian, or at least that they have heard from others. However, I'll leave my list at the four aforementioned categories, risking that something is slipping past me at the moment. Ok, now back to Ficali.
"So, tell me why you're a vegetarian," I asked.
"Well, honestly, where I went to school, the meat just wasn't good," she admitted. It was institutional meat, you know."
One can picture what natural facial expressions and giggles may come out of the person on the receiving end of any statement containing the phrase "institutional meat," and, well, that was pretty much my reaction. It was quite funny, so I had to follow up with my new friend on this topic (after I poked fun at her for a bit of course).
"So," I grinned at her amusingly,"institutional meat?"
Ficali then began to tenaciously defend her "spot on" description of the school's meat and how hers was a legitimate reason for being a vegetarian. I have to say that she made good points, and one's decision about what they eat is, of course, their own right. However, I saw some chinks in her armor that made me think that maybe those afflicted by (IMS) Institutional Meat Syndrome may actually have a chance to enjoy meat someday. Just maybe.
Firstly, she was eating a crab cake as she was talking to me about IMS. So, it's established that she's not a total vegetarian. Secondly, she admitted that she had a weak link for 1 very specific type of meat. And when I say specific, I'm not playing around. She told me that she cannot resist - are you ready - " bourbon chicken in cajun cafes in [shopping] malls."
Aha! A classic temptation. I can't blame her though, as the waft of fried bird emerging from the food court after a long day of shopping is almost too much for any one person to resist. I sympathized with her, and then began silently plotting to get her to eat a juicy filet mignon. Ok, not really, but she did try beer for the first time, and without too much hesitation actually.
After sipping my Coors Light draft, she commented that "it tastes like 7-up, but I've never had 7-up."
"Hmmm," I thought. Maybe IMS is more serious than we thought."
posted by miLo @ 7:34 AM
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