On the way to work yesterday I was stopped at an intersection, a traffic circle really, waiting to merge, and I noticed a gigantic truck full of pigs on the way to the slaughterhouse. The driver looked bored. The pigs were gigantic and pink and looked happy even though they were really packed in there. One pig turned its head to its neighbor and they appeared to be having a conversation. In a children’s book they would probably be talking about little Jimmy who visited them at the farm last week. In fact, one was probably hitting on the other one, or saying, through its big porcine smile, “So where are you going for vacation this summer?” or “Hot enough for ya?” or even “seen that picture of the lady golfer kissing that trophy?” completely unaware of its fate. They’d probably even forgotten they were in a truck.
And I thought, boy am I glad I’m not a pig.
A couple of years ago my daughter and I were driving through New England and got behind a really dilapidated former school bus. It was a rural area, and my first thought was “migrant workers.” But then we caught a glimpse of the faces–and they were bovine. It was an old school bus filled with cows. Perhaps they were headed to a school where they would learn to increase their milk supply, and what the consequences of failure were? Or, maybe they had already failed and were on their way to become part of the McDonald’s menu.
Very amoosing anecdote, Sue. I’ve been trying to think of a way to twist it into a joke, but I’m udderly stumped today.
Eh, and Joeri: actually, I am a pig, according to the Chinese horoscope.
this only made me sad, damnit. mig, you should’ve saved the pigs. you could’ve yelled “run free!” while jumping out of your hot rod and opening up the back of the truck. they were enjoying themselves. they were happy. and then they were dead. it’s so sad. i do love bacon, though.
As so often, Baz, you’ve cut to the core of the issue. I really was about to “stall” the Dobl
Mmmmmmm…bacon.
yeah, i’m with robyn ->mmmm, bacon or ham or pork chops or . . .
the last time i drove past whales, my car burned up. and they weren’t even in a truck. that was in 1986 in washington state.