I think people fear vegetarians-- its like they compare it to taking an alcoholic to a bar when they take a vegetarian to a restaurant where others will eating of the "flesh" ...lol. We have adapted and learned how to cope in a world of meat eaters. My Mom converted also after I moved in with her in 2006. Its second nature to ignore meat as a food item. There have been a few times it sort of got to me...Like this example....it is a funny story so Ill tell it and beware its long-- but I feel a little humor makes the Holidays a bit easier to get through.
Scenes around Kanab, Utah
...while traveling we went to Kanab Utah. Kanab calls itself the "Greatest Earth on Show and its true after a day of sightseeing and a long day of driving we took a room in Kanab with a pool and hot tub--we had the hot tub all to ourselves as we watched the sun slowly drift behind the distant hills and that warm relaxing soak put an even harder edge on the hunger we both had coming on. My sister who was with me is NOT a vegetarian but she will not eat meat when she is with me....she will sneak and eat bacon when Im not looking....lol its really strange.
Im a vegetarian by choice!! I made that choice based on my love of animals and I could no longer have those hipocritical feeling each time I ate meat so once when faced by the large innocent eyes of a lamb in the back of a truck headed for slaughter I made my life choice.... back to the story--- wow --its hard to stay focused sometimes!
So we asked the hotel manager "where is a good spot to get a good vegetarian dish here in Kanab?" ....he never hesitated..."there is a great place within walking distance, the Rocking V." We had to laugh because that morning in Panguitch Utah we had breakfast in a dive called the Flying M which was also within walking distance of our hotel...I'm not sure I would recommend the Flying M to you, but we did get a free drink with the recommendation.
(Rocking V webpage)
So we headed to the Rocking V and got a seat right away although it was crowded.
I checked the menu and as usual I gave it a scan over first to find the meat-less dishes...and I found a really good southwestern burrito with roasted red peppers and brown rice and served with a nice salad topped with red beans and it was not too pricey...and I noticed most of the food on the menu was! My sis got one of those large salad dishes.
As women often do when going out...we had a little drink and on an empty stomach we got giddy immediately. Soon she gave me the nudge and wiggled her finger for me to come in closer. "Dont look now, but behind you sitting by the register is a gorgeous Indian man waiting for a table. "Of course I wanted to look right away but I played the coi game and eventually turned to see as promised ---a gorgeous native American man--He had perfectly groomed long dark hair, smooth native skin, and deep brown eyes.
He was dressed in tight jeans, rattle snake cowboy boots, a white button down, and a corduroy jacket with suede elbow patches. At his neck he wore beautiful turquoise and silver jewelry and at his wrist a matching bracelet, and several expensive western styled rings decorated his perfectly shaped fingers. I raised my eyebrows back to sis to show my approval. I giggled very quietly like a school girl!!
I whispered to her...with my giddy buzz on.."he's gonna come sit right next to you" and I winked while saying..."heehehehee." On her side of the table against the wall it was one LONNNGGGG booth down the entire wall with tables evenly spaced apart and on my side facing the wall it was chairs...and sure enough the booth spot directly to her right opened up as two other women on a girls nite out finished and left.
The table was hastily cleared-- a fresh starched white table cloth was spread on and within seconds the handsome man we had been googoogaga about was seated right next to my sister and looking directly at ME!..LOL
Now we had to behave and be quiet no more giggles and batting our eyes and talking about Mr. Handsome...cause he sat only inches away within listening distance of everything we said. He cordially said "hello" and nodded to us both, very prim and proper and with an air of social politeness that was exquisite!! We realized this greeting was given to us simply due to our close proximity to him..and we said.. "hello, how are you," he answered, "Hungry," and we turned our attention back to our own table.
We waited for our food...while he ordered, after being greeted familiarly by the owner of the restaurant..."Hello JOHN, how are you tonight sorry for the wait but I've got you fixed up at your favorite table" the handsome man replied... "Fine thanks, its busy here tonight." He spoke in that wonderful quiet/calm way that so many natives have...I always envy the demeanor they possess and desire to be more that way myself. The calm quite nature, the dignity that oozes from them...the calm energy that surrounds them, its magnetic and something to aspire to!
So the room was dimly lit as most spots with ambiance are these days we sipped our drinks as he ordered a bottle of expensive wine...I know it was expensive cause the owner who waited on "John" said "very good!" while he jotted it down and "Ill have the usual...with a baked potato"
"Fine John, I make sure its cooked perfectly," and he swiftly left the table.
We sat in silence but every now and then I had to sweep my eyes over this perfect man....until I was able to finally ignore him and turn our conversation to the artwork on the wall-- it seems this spot is also a gallery upstairs. So finally our food arrived and we started to eat while "John" sipped his wine!
We ate sort of in hungry silence as he sat quietly...then the owner returned, "so you eating alone tonight John?"
"Seems so, I'm not waiting any longer."
AH HA..so he had been stood up by someone...we both wondered who--but all we could do was conjure up an image and we turned back to eating. Soon enough...John's food arrived. Since he was seated so close to us there was no way not too see what he had on his steaming plate as it arrived...A PIECE OF STEAK as big as Texas, with blood still oozing from the rare cooking it received in the kitchen.
"But it was a sweet innocent animal at one time," I stammered...now realizing I had overstepped the social boundary by leaps and bounds!!!
He replied-
"Yes, but its already dead so I may as well eat it, besides animals are put on the Earth for our use."
I could see this conversation was going nowhere...and he continued
"OH you are one of those animal lovers, a tree hugger, card carrying member of PETA & Greenpeace, maybe a vegetarian??--"Well you don't know what you're missing"...as he cut a huge chunk of bloody meat and crammed it into his beautiful face while I watched... YUK....
Then he proceeds to tell me how man is over all the beasts of the field and yada, yada, yada...and etc. LoL...I really didnt need the preaching he gave me but he gave it anyways...like that was gonna make me want to eat meat? Probably about as much as what I had said to him would stop him from eating meat. It was a close encounter of the embarrassing kind!!
I still don't know who "John" was but I'm certain by the treatment he got he is a notch or three higher than me on the totem pole, and I'm sure he went and told his upper class friends about this looney tourist woman who bothered him at the Rocking V!!
Well I sure learned my lesson---eat before having a snort!
