I have knowingly had three female friends who dabbled with vegan diets and subsequently succumbed hastily to the temptations of the flesh, as they reverted to their previous life choices. Among their preferred indulgences as well as meat were honey, woolen sweaters, silk blouses and leather shoes. Their respective hubbies breathed a robust sigh of relief.
Recently I entertained a family of neighbours for dinner. We knew that the daughter of the family – let’s call her «Snowflake» turned vegan a year or so ago. If only we had carried out the invitation at that time! In the meantime, she has infected the entire family and the boyfriend in a sequence of missionary conversions, so that a battalion of five vegans descended upon my dining table.
Not being a vegan myself, I spent an entire week, cogitating, planning, educating myself and purchasing appropriate components for a delicious dinner à-la-vegan. Alas, the bland, uninspiring but exorbitantly priced ingredients in the «Hello Vegan Shop», failed to inspire me for the preparation of a gourmet feast.
My 3-course banquet wasn’t quite in the class of «Heston Blumenthal» but it was a masterpiece of creativity. However, «Snowflake», a sanctimonious 24-year old student of unworldly predispositions was indifferent to the enormous exertion this spread had demanded. She, with her unrelenting mantra, that I should instantly adopt a perpetual vegan life-style was akin to a religious zealot, recorded on a cracked vinyl. By the time her crusade kicked off for the fourth futile phase, our little «Snowflake» upped and left the party. She felt indisposed to endure this truculent ambiance, that she herself had generated.
One of the most curious aspects of the vegan creed is the obsession to avoid anything animal-related. Take for example «Vegan Toilet Cleaner» which was stationed near the check-out in the Vegan Shop. Delving deeper into this mysterious link with animals, lead me to an expression «cruelty-free» cleaning products. It boggles the mind to imagine toilet cleaner being tested on a rat or a monkey. But hey-ho, who am I to let my imagination run riot?
Veganism may be a pressing issue for some and God forbid I would deride their fervor or intrude on their beliefs. To be honest, I don’t give a fig, how vegans live their lives, but I am deeply protective of my own balanced life-style and thankful for my continuing good health despite my advancing years.
We have billions of this earth’s inhabitants, who are dying of hunger, in addition to the millions of people with eating disorders, chronic allergies or illnesses, who must be mystified to learn of those who adamantly condemn the use of anything animal-related. I am sure that when the good Lord promised the Jews a land flowing with milk and honey, they would have been unlikely to turn it down. Or when Jesus performed the miracle with the five loaves and two fish – he obviously didn’t have any qualms about that. What’s good enough for Jesus is most certainly OK by me!
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