Eating Food That Looks Back At You

I have a confession. I am truly, utterly, an American. When I eat meat, it looks nothing like the animal it used to be. I go to the store and buy it in nice and neat packages, and most of the time, the bones are even taken out! What a priviledged life I have led!

Well Friday we took a trip to the beach with three sisters. They brought everything we would need for a nice, typically native lunch. They even brought a small gas tank so we could have hot tea and cook the food! We sat down at the table and uncovered the food. Through the steam eyes began to appear; not of the people sitting around the table, but eyes of the fish that had been cooked! There were many whole fish sitting atop vegetables. I have no problem eating meat, but when it's staring back at you - that's unnerving!

The only other thing was that even though I was careful not to eat the bones, it was still crunchy. Maybe it was because I was eating skins, scales, and all. Other than that, it tasted good. Afterwards we had watermelon, so it helped to replace the memory of picking off the sides of helpless fish to eat.

I guess I have just had a very sheltered life, never having to look into the eyes of something I eat. It's just something I'll have to learn to deal with.