A Vegetarian's Nightmare Comments

MALINEE Malinee’s father took her to China. There was a reception in their honour. A monkey was brought in and put on the table. It was alive. Its body filled its cage; the head stuck out of the top. Everyone watched. The monkey’s head was carefully shaved. The top of its skull was chopped off. Wine was poured into the exposed brain. It was still alive. The guests used their chopsticks to select pieces of brain. They put them in their mouths sucking out the taste of the wine. Eventually, the monkey died. Malinee was horrified. Then Malinees’s father took her to Singapore. There was a reception in their honour. A large bowl was brought in with giant prawns. They were alive. The chef poured alcohol onto the prawns. They jumped up and down drunkenly. Then he lit a match and the bowl filled with flame. The prawns died and were cooked in the same instant. Malinee was horrified. Malinee’s servant brings fish (and prawns) from the market. Malinee eats these. They are already dead. That makes all the difference. To whom? Brian

You are very good at this, Sandra.Very humorous, indeed.Poor Ram Lol..He should have told the one who invited him in the first place that he is a vegetarian..Anyway, that's a pleasing or should I say, very sad food experience..Ha ha.. Now, you bet me me here in my piece, BAD HAIR DAYS.. A pleasure and I enjoyed reading this. Thanks for making me laugh tonight..

very humourous and interesting story. As i am a vegetarian, i had an experience similar to this in a chinese restaurant having a sea food festival. Unlike Ram ran away from the entrance door itself. Normally i am tolerant. Mamta

Great poem Sandra with many laughs along it's fabulous story line. I have a friend who is a Vegetarian and is also allergic to garlic and as so many vegetarian dishes have garlic to give the vegetables more flavor she finds it really difficult to find anything to order. I can just imagine Ram's horror at what confronted him! 10 love Karin

You have conveyed a vegetarian's nightmare humorously through your poetry! 10! -Raj

This light narrative kept me amused and smiling to the end. A very funny, well-written piece, Sandra!

being a vegetarian i shudder to think of visiting china even in my dreams, nice poem 10 +++

Oh, what a nightmare! I didn´t know... repulsive... and ethical, I can´t find words... Sandra, take a look at my A Pastoral Painting, the same issue, somewhat nicer... (understatement, lol) A convincing (!) poem...

Hello Sandra..I am still laughing... great write... I have witnessed Chinese eating the brains of live monkeys.. I too ran Regards Alf

Everyone in modern trend knows about Chinese cuisine...Ram also knowing about that should not have entered into that restaurant...or atleast should have well enquired or asked his friends...I wonder why he didn't....I admire the humour therein....thanks for this nice piece

poor chap! ....i am reminded of a commercial I once saw in some obscure cable channel...an ad for a sea-food restaurant that boasts of the freshest sea food literally just fished from the ocean...a waiter brings in the prized dish...a fried fish quickly deep-fried in oil but only half of it, the end part (the tail) is still wagging! Please, someone tell me it was just a hoax! !

this poem is fine.. i laughed. i could see him running... id run too if i heard about monkey brains delicacies, and im a meatatarian.

A delightfully witty and humorous poem about a situation many vegetarians often find themselves in, Sandra. Being a strict vegetarian in a meat-eating world is quite a battle, and sometimes traumatic experience, although I would think the Chinese restraunts are well prepared for most vegetarian requests as they are well known for purely vegetarian dishes, at least here in the US. Your fine poem was a delight to read and quite charming, except for poor Ram! Carl.

What a pitiable situation for a misfit in an odd place! He should have ordered for noodles soup, very nice to taste in Chinese restaurants!

Food and food habits differ place to place country to country tribe to tribe...to remain a Vegetarian is always good but if you are in a country where poeple are brought up on Non-veg delicacies it's okay for them...it must be okay for others as well in admitting it...this having said, i do appreciate the humour there and the good narrative style...an enjoyable read

unless one is a south-east asian, any body would be appalled at eating monkey's brain! one needn't be a vegetarian for that...

Sandra, I will not confess to being a vegetarian, however if I had been in that restaurant with Ram I would have left with him to. I have a great respect for all of God's creatures large and small. Just the thought of them serving live animals for the dinner plate revolts me. Top marks and thanks for sharing this with us my friend. Hugs David

I know just how he felt. I once accidentally stumbled upon a video of a restaurant with live monkeys..will not go into details but it made me sooooo ill. I'm much more careful now where I go. My daughter is a vegetarian and I know she has her share of these stories! People 'think' it's vegetarian, still with chunks of chicken floating in a stew, lol. Great entertaining tale, I could feel the poor man squirming in his chair..(smile)

A nice witty and yet serious write, ending better than for Mahatama Ghandi, where he felt terrible after eating meat!

How can Ram eat monkeys, when same monkeys help him to conquer Ravan, he would have felt like a martyr...........a good write.......