Some of you might not know this, but I serve at Texas Roadhouse four nights a week. I love the restaurant business and despite the over-dramatic servers, the hill-billies from Noble-tucky (Noblesville) who love to infiltrate our Fishers restaurant, and even the older whiney people who still think 10% is a stellar tip, I love serving. I really do, especially at Texas Roadhouse. It’s a fun atmosphere, it’s very laid-back, and they even play country music all the time! Haha, just joking, I still loathe country music.Well, the reason for this blog post is due to a recurring incident that simply aggravates me, tickeling my sense of justice and global awareness just a tad bit the wrong way. I have this wonderful couple that eats at Roadhouse frequently, and they usually ask to sit in my section. They are great people and tip extremely well, which is always a bonus. But it’s what the lovely trophy wife does that sickens me. She always orders a 12 Oz. Fillet, cooked medium, which for you non red-meat craving cavemen, is truly a great cut of meat. Extremely lean, a choice cut, cooked to perfection, it is obviously a very expensive steak ($27.99 to be exact). For my Brittish readers, that’s 18.41 Pounds, or 1,390 Rupees for my Indian faithful.
I love food, and I love splurging on food. So buying an expensive steak is not a problem to me. My problem is that she always has a take home box given to her as soon as her food hits the table. She then, like clockwork, portions roughly three-fourths of her steak into the take home box and then commences to nibble at the remaining meat. So where does this three-fouth portion of mouth watering fillet go to? Why yes! It goes to Wrigley, her beloved little Shih Tzu.
This is what irritates me. There are millions of children starving across the globe, dying from malnutrition by the second, most of them have never had the joy of tasting a fillet, and yet here is a $21 (roughly) portion of steak tossed at a dog! I wouldn’t be upset at this if it happenned after she realized she was full, but no, this is a pre-planned act of madness!
Dogs are beautiful animals and I can’t wait to own my first home inorder to have a yellow Labrador (Pamela wants a little dog but I can’t stand them). But I’m sick and tired of hearing all these protests about animal abuse. They are animals, they are prey, it is a simple equation. Darwin’s survival of the fittest and theories on evolution have us at the top of the food chain, and I’m sorry but all other species are secondary.
Have you seen the infomercial that Sarah McLachlan endorses? It streams “In the arms of an angel” in the background while Mclachlan asks for a simple donation of “18 dollars a month, or just 60 cents a day to provide medical care, food, shelter and love to animals in need.” The first time I saw it, I thought it was a hoax, like a sadistic SNL skit. But no, it was an honest, real infomercial.
I think the BCSPCA (Brittish Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is an honorable charity. But I think it goes too far to ask for monthly donations to provide medical care, food and shelter to animals. Not dying children in Somalia or Bangladesh, but animals in Northern America. They even have water-puriying systems for cats and dogs. Seriously? Third World Countries don’t even have clean water sources, their sewage runs right into their city wells and hence we have typhoid, cholera and hepatitis!
According to the Bread ForThe World website, 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes every day. That’s one child every 5 seconds! And here are organizations trying to provide medical care, food and shelter to animals. Come on, Am I the only one infuriated by this?
No, dogs don’t need purified water, no they don’t need 40 dollar sweaters on them. No animal needs that, they are fine the way they are.
Instead of trying to doll up animals, how about we focus our attention on the real needs of the world, and start with world Hunger. Because providing animals with medical care is just lunacy. What’s next? Spa’s and day cares for animals?
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I couldn't have agreed more on this. I noticed this the second I landed in the states. But I guess we need these wasteful people to see what its like first hand in the harshest parts of a 3rd world country. If they saw what the poorest of the poorest go through to get food they would definitely change their ways in a heartbeat.
ReplyDeleteIt's true. But sadly, most people in the States barely travel abroad and if they do then it's to Europe. But it starts with everyone doing their own part right?
ReplyDeletePs - looking forward to visiting your dad's Shrimp farm in Mahabellipurum dude!
Nice post. that Sarah McLaughlin commercial makes me cry every time. It's so heartbreaking!
ReplyDeleteAnddddddd this is Jamie (Nellie).
Sandesh,
ReplyDeleteThis is finally a good post! Very poignant observation of the value Americans place on pets while the intrinsic, God-given value that humans have goes unnoticed.
HOWEVER, your reference to Darwin seems to contradict this. The point is not that we are on top of the food chain; the point is that Yahweh/Jehovah/Elohim breathed life into us and gave us stewardship over His creation (not mastery, mind you). Our physical and spiritual wellbeing is a priority due to the implications it has on our salvation.
Darwin missed this point until he recanted on his deathbed.
AND... I think spas for pets are already here.
Ridiculous is just the right word.
Kev
Miss Viola Swamp? haha, Nice Nellie! Yes, that Sarah Mclachlan commercial is either loved or despised. Bur really? tears?
ReplyDeletesandy,
ReplyDeleteI agree with kdick. I couldn't have said it better myself
Love, MOM M
Sandy...good to see you blogging. However man you are a little late on the question of spas for animals and 5 star hotels for animals. Japan is the leader in this aspect and its real sad:) Thanks for the reminder of what is important.
ReplyDeletegreat post my man, and i do agree with you big time here, however does survival of the fittest not just apply to animals, but humans as well(i know humans are animals but you know what i mean), some people are born into a shittier situation than others, yes, but anyone has the ability to make their life into what they want regardless if they receive assistance or not, as long as they make themselves the fittest
ReplyDeleteps please ignore my poor spelling or grammer on any responses i post, i suck at writing which is why i have to live vicariously through your blog instead of one of my own
You know, I would agree with your statement, and localize it for here in the US. I think it is easy to go from rags to riches here in the States. (schools are free, minimum wages enable people to help themselves and find work, the government provides student loans)
ReplyDeleteHowever, in third world countries, it is a whole different story. Living in villages where basic anemities are non existent, where schooling and education is a political system where the poor do not get enrolled, and where there is no minimum wage, it seems impossible for one to change his social status. These countries are sadly polluted by corruption and by a lack of freedom (like we have here in the States).
I need to take you to India sometime buddy, as much as you hate that thought, it would be an eye-opener.
slumdog millionaire my man.....haha, i dont hate it at all and already plan on going there with you sometime
ReplyDelete