Molly, as you know, is a vegetarian. Last year Jeff and I did a vegetarian January, but we forgot that we were going to make that a thing and plan to do vegetarian February instead. "Even better - February is the shortest month!" observed Jeff.
Molly recently picked up a book written for young women vegetarians that tries to help them be healthy (because a diet of fries and pretzels might be vegetarian, but not so nutritious) and provide practical ways for them to follow whatever path of vegetarianism they choose. There is a recipe section in the back and we have tried/are trying some out.
In all of this vegetarian discussion we remembered a funny incident from Christmas dinner. Five year old AJ asked why Molly didn't have to eat any turkey. "She is a vegetarian," his older sister helpfully informed him. Then asked Molly, "Why are you a vegetarian?"
Anna, also in the helpful spirit, began to explain Molly's feelings about animal treatment, but Molly was not interested in making her aunt's attempts to get AJ to eat more than ten things even more difficult and cut in over the top of her sister, "Oh, I just don't want to hurt animals."
AJ looked her right in the eye and said seriously, "Molly. They're already dead. You can't hurt them any more. You might as well just eat them."
Anna again piped up intending to explain about slaughtering practices and such and Molly again cut her off. "True, but I just don't want to."
He narrowed his eyes and said, "What, are you afraid that after you eat it they're going to start walking around in your stomach or something? It's not like the chickens come alive again in your stomach."
Molly is somewhat of a giggler, and what she giggles most about are funny little kids. So it's pretty amazing that she basically held it together and said with just a big smile, "No, no I'm not afraid of chickens walking around in my stomach."
The humor of the conversation struck everyone at the kids' table at that moment, so Molly was able to join the laughter without hurting her cousin's feelings.
Of course I was over at the adult table giggling like crazy during the whole exchange.
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