Food for Thought

Two things struck me as mutually interesting yesterday. I guess I wouldn't have found cause to write about them individually but having seen both of them in the same day, I found enough inspiration to bang out a blog on the subject.

Incident #1: at the dinner table at my folks' house.

Five of us are sitting around the table eating clam chowder (A+ on the chowder, mom) and my dad calls for my attention. He directs me to his dog Wilson, who appears to be deep in thought on his doggie bed next to the dinner table. Sure enough, he was engaged in the blankest stare one could possibly imagines, eyes slightly bigger than slits. I began to wonder what he was thinking about, assuming it was probably food or taking a leak.

Incident #2: 12:45am in bed, trying desperately to fall asleep while watching Animal Planet.

There was a program running about a chimpanzee refuge in Florida that houses 30 rescued chimps from testing labs in Africa. The woman assessing her chimps remarked that all animals have thoughts, feelings and emotions just like you and me, and they must be considered and treated as such.

I guess this whole thing struck a chord with me on varying levels at this particular time because more than ever, I have been increasingly aware of what I am eating in terms of animal products and stuff like that. I've never been one to shy away from eating meats of any kind but as of late, I've been shying away from red meat and pork products in favor of lots of fish and poultry. I'm not a vegetarian by any stretch of the imagination, but I can appreciate why people I know are either vegetarian, pescetarian or something of that nature. Every time I hear or see something relating to animal cruelty or the treatment of animals who are bred for food production, it's unsettling to say the least. But I digress, because this was not intended to be a post about not eating meat.

Often times I wonder about the thoughts in the heads of animals, especially those that are a part of my life on some consistent level. Wilson is probably the most visible animal, as I see him every weekend or so while I'm visiting my parents. I don't know what it is about this dog, but he certainly has a personality and quirks about him that I find hilarious. To look at him yesterday in his 'deep thought', I wondered if there was anything at all going through his small dog brain. Usually when he's fixated on one thing for an inordinate amount of time, it's a morsel of food or my father. This dog spends half of his time awake staring at my father because he wants to go outside or eat. I'll be watching a Sox game with my dad and Wilson will literally sit across the room from him and stare for long periods of time without budging. Occasionally he'll let out a soft whimper to be noticed and if he gets really antcy, he'll sit right in front of my dad and whine like a child. Point is, he knows who takes him on walks, who gives him food and treats and above all, he knows that my dad is the only person alive who will adhere to his demands. Dogs are simple animals with small brains but they do what they can with what they have, don't they? Wilson knows that, in order for him to be happy, he must count on a man for all things. The only thing he has failed to figure out is that he will always have massive diarrhea every time he steals entire loaves of bread off of the counter. However, how many human beings eat really shitty food, full-well knowing that they're going to feel like complete shit for a while after? We all do from time to time. I might even argue that we know better of this fate than a dog, which makes us dumber in that regard. Also proving his intelligence is something I've noticed fairly recently. He used to get really excited when I walk in and the last few visits he totally ignores me and falls all over Lauren. I've now lost the affections of two life forms in my family to Lauren: a young boy and a dog. What's next??

Obviously Wilson has proven to me that he is wise beyond what most might think of him. The great thing is, he will eternally possess the ability to have others underestimate him and his intelligence; this is his equalizer. Fortunately for him, he's not a test subject in an animal lab like the chimps I referred to. A sad moment in that chimp program I watched detailed the fate of Sparky, a 35 year-old chimp who looked like an elderly chimp due to the fact that he was used in testing cures for Hepatitis. It was sure to cut his life in half, but luckily for him he could live out his days in this sunny Florida refuge, without the constant, badgering stares of lab assistants nor the sting of their sharp needles. The program ended on a bright note, telling of how this woman who was visiting these chimps had received a grant of land in Louisiana where should can now build a refuge ten times the size of this one in Florida. She'll be able to save hundreds more of these former test chimps like she had the aforementioned. What was amazing to me is these chimps clearly knew who she was and expressed certain affection and emotion when she came into contact with them. It was a moving story, but ultimately I failed in my quest for boring tv that could put me to sleep.

I'm guessing there will come a day when I stop eating meat altogether. The more material I see related to the torturing and treatment of animals, regardless of the purpose, makes me think a little more about what I can do to play a part in not aiding these practices. And I understand the argument that testing has proven extremely valuable in the advancement of cures for disease. I also know that there is something called the food chain and ultimately, we all take our place as either the consumer or the consumed. Perhaps those who remain ignorant about where their food comes from and how it is produced will be inherently less stressed about it than he or she who does a little research on the matter.

One thing remains a glaring fact amidst all of this thought in my own brain: Wilson has it all figured out lives life as I might choose to live it if I didn't have to work for a living. He sleeps 75% of the day, doesn't pay taxes, never worries about being on time, has every blessed meal handed to him in a silver bowl and finally, he's followed around by a man who cares for him endlessly enough to pick up his poop and dispose of it for him without a single thought of resentment. You win, Wilson. You win.