Thursday, April 19, 2012

Just Burns My Biscuits!

I love that expression.  Know what I don't love?  Ignorant people.  I just came back from the feed store (my home away from home lately), and this is what happened:
I was looking over the chicks, waiting to be rung up (the clerk was on the phone), and I was talking to a man who was looking into buying some chicks for his kids to keep as pets.  Personally, I don't think chickens are pets, but I know a lot of people do, so I was giving him some pointers as to which breeds might work best and the very basics on what they need to have to be cared for properly.  As we were talking, an older couple walks in and looks at the brooders filled with chicks, one of which had meat birds in it.

Do you know where this is going yet?  Because I'm betting a whole bunch of you have had this same experience, and you know what I'm going to say before I say it.  But here it is anyway.

The wife looked at the meat birds, and said to her husband, "Meat birds?  How could anyone do that?"

To which, since I was in a friendly, talkative mood, jokingly replied, "It helps if you don't name them."

Bahdumbum.  Stupid joke, but come on.  I know the woman understood that it was a joke, but she looked horrified all the same.  Now I was a monster who killed chickens.  So I tried to explain "They're not like layer hens.  They're not able to live more than 8-10 weeks.  They're bred purposely that way."

Now the clerk (her name is Teresa) joined me and said exactly what I just said as well.  They don't live long, blah blah blah.  But that just made it worse, and the woman looked at the both of us like we had two heads.  We just dropped out of the conversation with her and went back to talking about what we were talking about before. 

I was ignoring the woman at this point and her "holier than thou" attitude, when I heard her say to the man behind me (who was the one I was talking to about layers before) "We treat our animals like family.  When they die, we mourn them."

I didn't say anything, but the implication was that people who would raise/butcher meat birds must not care about animals.  Oh, puhleeeze.  In retrospect, I should have said this:  Taking a life is no small thing.  It does NOT mean I don't care about the animals I raise.  In fact, I go out of my way to make sure they are happy and well fed and watered and comfortable.  Yes, they are meant for a certain "destiny", but it does NOT mean I will not mourn them.  I will, in my own way.  Your supermarket chickens had a horrible life compared to my birds.  Who really cares about animals now?

Of course I didn't say it.  But I should have.  Geez.  Ignorant people really burn my biscuits!
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7 comments:

  1. "Burns my biscuits"..I love it! Would you mind if I shared your remark?
    I figured you were going to say that someone came and bought all the chicks while you were waiting for the clerk to get off the phone. That has happened to me! THAT really "burned my biscuits" while I've spent my gas money to get to the store and the clerk sits there and yaks to someone on the phone!

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  2. I grew up hearing that expression but it still makes me laugh. In fact, I think I said it at work just a couple of days ago.

    Anyway, I think the way you handled the situation was fine. Some people just don't get it and nothing will knock them off their high horse attitude. Except maybe having to work and live on a farm!

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  3. I also want to share this! May I Google+ it? And FB? Perfect inner dialogue on a topic we all run across!

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  4. I usually say that something "Frosts my cookies!". Sorry you had to deal with someone like that, but bravo to you for taking the high road! I was just thinking as I was reading about what her attitude might be about the chickens in the grocery store, when you said for me. What, does she think chickens just magically appear on styrofoam trays wrapped in plastic? Sheeesh!!!

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  5. LOL. I guess it all sums up that no matter what we are all different.

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  6. Riverbend--absolutely, feel free. Yes, I hate when they talk on the phone and you can't get their attention. Luckily, she had a short conversation!

    CrankyP--It's true, your attitude does change when you work on a farm. I know mine did.

    Ronda--Please do! Thank you!

    Kelly--Wait....chicken doesn't appear magically on styrofoam? Craziness. I like "frosts my cookies"; it's got a nice ring to it.

    Yesteryear--Totally true.

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  7. Sad that so many folks are so ignorant to where their food comes from...be it a commercial or small scale farm. It's thanks to the farmers, butchers and slaughter houses who take care of all the dirty work so that we can enjoy the end result on our barbecue.

    So glad you are enjoying your goats. They are such wonderful company.

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