It reminded me of The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy -
the televised version shown back in the 80s on British TV. Arthur Dent - one of
the only two humans who survived the destruction of the Earth to make way for a
hyperspace bypass - is introduced to the Dish
of the Day
at The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. The dish turns out to be an
Ameglian Major cow, an animal created to actually want to be eaten and capable
of saying so clearly and distinctly. Arthur’s two alien companions - Ford
Prefect and Zaphod Beeblebrox - are quite happy to discuss what bits of the
animal are best and how they should be served, guided by the animal itself as
they investigate its haunches.
Arthur is
horrified. “I don’t want to eat an animal that’s lying there inviting me to!”
“It’s better than
eating one that doesn’t want to be eaten...” counters Zaphod.
Which would you
prefer? To be honest, I like eating meat and I’m not giving it up any time
soon. I’d even kill and prepare it myself if I had to. But if my prospective
dinner turned round and started chatting to me? Possibly not, however keen it
might be on the idea of being consumed.
Some people
believe animals can talk, and to a degree they can. I have bantams, the little half-sized
chickens, and you can tell the difference between the contented clucking, the
‘I’ve just laid an egg!’ squawk, and the ‘cat,cat!’ screech. The kids adore the
chooks, and the fresh eggs are a bonus, but they’re never going to end up on
the dinner table. Sometimes, when I sit and watch them pecking away and one
suddenly raises its head and eyes me, I wonder what goes through their minds.
Do they even know what I am, aside from a source of food and the occasional
nuisance when I shoo them back into their coop? Do they just see me as part of
the landscape like a tree or the kids’ play equipment? Are they eyeing me up as
a potential meal, remembering back to the time their T-Rex ancestors would have
eaten something my size as a snack? Or are they just wishing they could say
“more corn, minion!”?
 |
| From left to right - Chiana, Kyru, and Rush |
So, as a newcomer
to Romancing the Genre (thanks to Judith and Sarah for inviting me!), here’s a
bit about me -
Bio
A stay-at-home mum
of three who spent twelve years working as an Analytical Chemist in a Metals
and Minerals laboratory, Pippa Jay bases her stories on a lifetime addiction to
science-fiction books and films. Somewhere along the line a touch of romance
crept into her work and refused to leave. In between torturing her plethora of
characters, she spends the odd free moments trying to learn guitar, indulging
in freestyle street dance and drinking high-caffeine coffee. Although happily
settled in historical Colchester in the UK with her husband of 20 years, she
continues to roam the rest of the Universe in her head.
Pippa Jay is a
dedicated member of the SFR Brigade, a community of science fiction romance
authors and publishing professionals committed to writing and promoting the
very best in the genre.
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Stalk me!
Website
– http://www.pippajay.co.uk
Twitter - https://twitter.com/pippajaygreen
SFR
Brigade - http://www.sfrcontests.blogspot.co.uk/
6 comments:
Welcome aboard, Pippa. We are thrilled your writing schedule and real life permitted you to join us! I was engaged to a rancher many many years ago and one day he brought steaks to my house for us to BBQ for dinner. I'll never forget as I'm finishing my dinner, he casually mentioned I was enjoying Cleo. Didn't eat meat for a few months after that...so I can appreciate not being able to eat meat that is talking/communicating with me!
I loved the Hitchhiker clip! Loved the books, too!
When I was about eight years old, Dad won a LIVE turkey in a contest at Thanksgiving time. I wanted to keep Jim for a pet, but our neighbor axed him for our Thanksgiving dinner (Dad didn't want to be seen as the bad guy.) I didn't eat turkey until I was an adult.
So glad you joined us! Great post!
Hi, Pippa! Great post! The clip was hilarious. I definitely couldn't eat a pet or an animal that talked to me. Quite interesting, food for thought. :)
I love Hitch-Hiker's Guide, glad to see a reference to it! While I do kill salmon to eat them, I leave it to others to harvest the rest of my meat. I agree that it would be awkward if my meal could talk to me.
Thanks for a refreshing take on the topic!
Hi Judith, and thank you. I spent my childhood among farmers, and I remember one saying 'never name something you intend to eat.', lol! I think that's wise!
Hi Sarah! Oh, I'm a huge fan of Douglas Adams, starting with the Hitch-Hiker's Guide. Just loved his take on things.It's funny, but my kids are still happy to eat chicken even though we have them as pets - providing we don't ever cook one of our own. I think it does make it hard to eat something you've seen alive just a few minutes earlier.
Hi Diana! Isn't it weird though? Like Zaphod said, better than eating something that doesn't want to be eaten, and yet I go with Arthur's feelings!
Hi Lynn. Oh, I used to fish but could never eat them - although I think that was more because I didn't like fish, lol.
Great clip. Enjoyed your post.
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