I went to Yuki’s company party… at a Korean bar-b-que. It’s funny how I can’t seem to stop eating when there is food in front of me… especially grilled meat. I hear people talk about vegetarianism… and I guess I can see why it’s a good way to live. But for me… well, this is how my mind sees things….
When i was growing up in Romania, food was rationed. we had a punch card. we would wake up every saturday 4 in the morning… go to the “market” and wait in the snow from 5 AM till Noon. The line would stretch for 3 to 4 city blocks… everyone huddled close and holding their family tight. Every person had a card. I remember my grandfather holding me under his big burly navy blue army coat… the thick wool brushing up against my frozen cheeks… I have that coat now…
Eventually when you made it to the front of the line… they would look at your card… and each person got a rationing of food for the week… per person, it was 2 loaves of bread, 1/4 kg of “meat”, a head of cabbage, 6 eggs, and a liter of milk. FOR THE WEEK!!!! That’s one day’s meal!!! and that’s all we got for the week. So, people did what they could … we hunted… we grew our food where we could…
Planting was difficult… because the government can easily see if you are hoarding a farm… and they would tax you or take the vegetables. Yet, while rifles were illegal… we found other ways to hunt… We raise farm animals, hunted with arrows/mallets/knives/dogs… etc.
So… when i eat a dripping juicy steak… it reminds me of my grandfather… running after that deer… his muscular arms arching back as he bounds down the hill through the trees… when his arm whips forth… and realeses the hatchet… a moment later I could hear the “thud” as it splits a deer’s head open… and … we could eat for another week…
Granted… that’s nothing compared to going to Costco now and buying 100 kg of pork for myself… and some beer to go well with it… but for a split second before I eat… i get goosebumps… as the smell brings back the sound… of relief that I am protected….