Chicago Ribfest

I was planning on writing a review of all the ribs I sampled at the Chicago Ribfest.  However, the best ribs I had that day you couldn't buy.  After a few orders of ribs, my friend Sharon and I were feeling full and thought we would step aside and people watch.  We decided to do so as we were right next to a fairly long line alongside the Wright Bacon Smoker truck (it is huge).  Wright Bacon was giving out Bacon Wrapped Buffalo Wings.  So, obviously there was a line.  Sharon suggested we get in line.  I thought, why not? 

When we got to the Bacon Wrapped Buffalo Wings, I felt this need to tell the man serving them that I had been a vegetarian for 20 years and had been eating meat for 3 months.  Well, you would have thought he hit the jackpot!  I think he was more excited than I was.  He called over his colleague and had him take a photo of me eating their bacon.  Explaining my story they invited us back to their smoker truck for ribs at 6 O'clock.  Now, these ribs were to be their dinner.  They were not ribs for sale at the fest.  Of course I went back at 6 and honestly, they were the best ribs on the street!  THANK YOU WRIGHT BACON!

I don't know what it is but every now and then I have the urge to tell the person serving me meat my recovering vegetarian story.  I don't tell every person who has served me meat, just those that are doing so while the spirit moves me so to speak.  I have to say, nobody has let me down yet when I explain it.  In fact, they are very happy for me.  And let me tell you, after the wonderful bacon and later ribs, I was very happy that I had shared my story.

“I’ll Have The Sausage”

When I wrote about Vegetarians Raining Down On Me there was one person I left out, my brother.  He had been my fellow Vegetarian through all these years.  It was always great to have someone at holidays, family gatherings, and restaurants with me who also didn’t eat meat.  I had a partner in crime. 

When I started eating meat I was a bit nervous about telling him as I thought he would have a negative reaction.  Once a month my brother, Brian, his wife, Rachel, and I go out to dinner together.  On the way to our monthly outing, I told him that I had started eating meat.  To my surprise, he told me that he had starting wondering why he didn’t eat meat.  I was so relived.  Secretly, I hoped that I could bring him over to the dark side.  After experiencing all the positive changes, I wanted him to benefit as well. 

Two months later, we met for a drink after work.  I needed someone to talk to about a bad situation I was having with a friend.  I actually stuck up for myself and this caused a bit of a rift.  There is no scientific evidence for this but since eating meat I tend not to let people walk over me anymore.  I stand up for myself.  I like to link this to ‘taking the essence of the animal inside of you’.  Explaining this to Brian and discussing all the physical changes that have taken place, I asked him if he had read my blog.  He wasn’t even aware of it.  So, the very next day I forwarded the link to him.  He read it.  The day after he read it, we met for our monthly dinner.

While waiting for his wife, we talked about my blog and he mentioned that he thought he would start eating meat within the next year.  Understanding the process I went through to make the decision and then act on it, I didn’t push it.  Nor did I expect what happened next.  Rachel arrived and we placed our orders.  Brian ordered the mac-n-cheese chili special.  I looked at him and said “Brian, you better ask if there is meat in the chili”.   The waitress replied that it had turkey in it.  He opened up the menu and said “I’ll have the sausage”. 

I was thrilled!  Now, I had to work hard to contain my excitement.  A few days prior I had been thinking that if I could reach one vegetarian through this blog then writing it was worth it.  Also, I new this was his moment and I didn’t want to make it about me.  This was about him.  But, I have a sneaky suspicion that I was smiling all through dinner.  I did however; make a toast; to Brian coming over to the dark side.  After dinner when he went to the bathroom, his wife looked at me and said “I had no idea he was going to do that”.  I said “neither did I”.  I was so excited!  My partner in crime was back!

The following day he emailed me and said thanks for being there and told me he slept like he hasn’t in 15 years.  Since then, he has experienced some physical changes and told me he didn’t expect to see such results so instantly.  He had knee problems that are gone.  He has Roseca so bad that he takes medication for it.  He had a break out and it cleared up in a day.  His wife mentioned that he was quite after that first sausage.  My brother confirmed that he also experienced the calmness you feel after your body finally receives the protein it needs from meat.  After starving your body for so long, you feel so content after that first piece of carnage, calmness takes over.

Here is the bottom line; we are SUPPOSED to eat meat!