7 August 2010

The Squirrel Eater Family

-"What we having tonight mum?" At the sound of the little voice, Miranda standing in the Kitchen, a red apron tied around her waist, turns around.
-"Squirrel with roast potatoes". John's face immediately lights up into a giant smile.
-"Cool love it!"
-"Well, I can tell you a story about it" she says bending down so her face nearly touches his. "Years ago, people got very upset when a shop decided to sell Squirrel meat in North London." The kid looks at her with clear doubt.
-"Why's that? It's good!"
-"Yes it is" she agreed standing up again, "but some people thought it was very mean to kill the little squirrels. So does Dad, he still can't eat them.."
-"That's right Dad? I thought you were allergic!"asks John as a slim figure comes through the white, freshly painted, door.
-"Well kiddo, I'm not. I think we should leave squirrels alone".
-"But Mrs Brown says there are too many brown squirrels and they destroy the habitat of the red ones and that's why we kill them to protect the red ones, does she lies ?" asks the child his brown eyes eager to stand up for his favourite teacher.
-"No, not completely. But we eat them because a shop owner has decided that'd be good advertisement. Not really to help the red ones." explained the husky voice.
-"But Daddy knows it is always better to kill two birds with one stone" added Miranda with a teasing smile.
-"Or two squirrels".
-"Don't' be sarcastic Trevor!" she orders, knowing it was a helpless cause.
-"Well don't accept false excuses and I won't be" he replies, returning the teasing smile
-"Jonathan, why don't you ask Daddy why he doesn't mind us eating beef, lamb, fish, goose and so on?". Miranda was now preparing the salad, taking the brown leaves out of the bowl.
-"Why don't you mind us eating beef, lamb, fish, goose and so on Daddy?" obediently repeats the little boy.
-"Because they're the usual suspects and they are enough of them already to feed us. We don't need to eat weird stuff like the Chinese" defends Trevor, putting the blue plates on the wooden table.
-"Daddy is turning into a racist, don't listen to him darling." sarcastically commented Miranda, now adding the sauce she had just finished to prepare.
-"But seriously, do we need to eat squirrel ?" insists Trevor, grabbing John's little red plastic cup from his hand.
-"I don't know ask the Peruvian if they need to eat guinea pigs and the French if they need to eat frogs, snails or horse. And I'm sure Indians would like to know why we needs to eat beef. Who gets to decide which animals we should or should not eat ? Are squirrels safe because they are cute ? Shall we eat only ugly animals ? What is the rule ? Tell me. Because as far as I am concerned, any dead meet is good to eat". Points out Miranda, whipping her hands on her apron before undoing the tie.
-"Would you eat me dead?" teases Trevor, looking at their reflection on the back window behind his wife.
-"If you keep on being irrational I might have to! But I'll try not to unless we crash in the Andes." laughs Miranda before kissing his soft skin, darker than hers.
-"So are we having squirrels mummy ?" checks Jonathan, ready to grab his matching plate and fork.
-"Yes, with some ugly chicken for your daddy because as much as we can choose to eat it, he can refuse to eat it and we should always respect other people's choice." Concluded Miranda sitting in front of Trevor, next to Jonathan. "Enjoy your meal".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-10805570