Today I realized just how much of an impedance one's food habits can be in one's social life.Four months ago,I started work at my current company and on my very first day,one of my co-workers, CP , invited me to join him and the gang for lunch.As much as I was dying to go,I had to say no.They were going to a seafood place and a side of potatoes aside, there was nothing on the menu that qualified as fodder-for-the-vegetarian.I politely explained my predicament to the guys and they pretended to understand.Because I was the new girl,I guess they had no choice but to let it slide by that I ate no meat.And then a couple of weeks later, the gang was going to Chick-Fill-A and again CP asked me if I wanted to go and again I had to decline since that was that was the day I chose to wake up late and hence be late to my physical therapy session and hence skip breakfast in order to get to the weekly meeting on time.So I just had to have a decent meal of which I saw no hope if I decided to tag along with them.And thus I ended up gorging on a humongous Masala Dosa while the gang bonded over chicken. Cut to the present. Today CP was rounding up whoever was there to grab a bite and guess what,I wasn't even invited! Apparently he was in the mood for a burger today and who has ever heard of a vegetarian burger anyway? And even if there was one,it was sacrilege of the first order.
Given that I don't talk much when I am at work since I take a while to get comfortable with people, I can almost hear them thinking the B-word in their heads.But it is so unfair,this whole situation.I don't judge people who are carnivorous,M included,so why should I be judged for not being one?Vegetarians are a legitimate-not-so-extinct-valid species,no.
Stupid stupid American-fare restaurants.
15 comments:
Haan true, foreign condries mins no use staying vezzu. Otherwise, like my maama would do, order one cabbage and eat off with sauce.
that is sad.
Actually makes me realise that we all sometimes gang up against the 2 veggies in our group and tease them....no offense to them, but I wonder if they actually get pissed off too!
hmmm..give them benifit of doubt will ya? May be an assumption made that...u might have other plans? ANd from the content of the post...my Interpretation might be wrong....but he didnt specificaly ask anyone...he just said it to the group...."Today CP was rounding up whoever was there to grab a bite and guess what". May be u shud take initiative and ask them...to go for lunch..It would not great of you too "Stupid stupid American-fare restaurants" as most of the americans eat non-veg...if i am running the business i would go with interest of majority of people...since it gives me a good business... Here is another suggestion...why dont u tell them u want to joiun them...they have to look for veggie place to eat.Its just we jump on to conclusion right away....i think sometimes it might not be such great idea..
PS NO offence.....I was in the quite similar situation....:)
awww.poor you. maybe be should invite them to go sample awsome veggie food one day with you?
Bikerdude : Order one cabbage aa?In the restaurant aa?Why yaa?
Chandni : Well,I give the carnivores a hard time too.There is a nice back and forth of jokes happening so I am ok with the banter. But when I have to miss out on hanging out with the folks at work because of the veggie factor,it kinda pisses me off.
KP : So by rounding by everyone I meant that he went to some of the cubicles and asked the respective occupants about their lunch plans.And considering that the only veggie options close to our workplace are either Subway or the Indian resturants,I doubt if that will find many takers.So there,your theory does not hold much water :-)
And the last comment was supposed to be humorous?But I guess you did not catch the funny vibe.
So there.No offense.
Dot mom : Thanks for the empathy!I could give it a shot but I guess its kinda hard to convince ardent meat eaters to give veggie food a try.
you r right...i read my own comment..it sounded really harsh then what i meant so my appologies....yes u r right indian and subway wont help ur case..and yes...I guess, I did not catch the funny vibe....I blame it on "Friday"....:)
KP : No problem at all!
Happens :-)
Thanks for stopping by :-)
I can so understand! There was a point of time in campus where my entire group was non vegetarian and used to order a hUge variety of dishes when we went out. And I would be left with paneer butter masala :D (which they used to take a bit of too!) really unfair!
Tell me about it! I used to live in the midwest and it was nearly impossible to go anywhere that had more than mixed greens (read ghaspoos) on the menu. In NY it's much better. On my part I've never asked people to make special concessions about where they eat- like you I simply don't go or join just for drinks. So maybe you can suggest a kickass veggie restaurant, even if it's desi where the gang enjoys themselves, so that they learn that you're a fun lunch companion :)
fries and ketchup maybe? thats TWO vegetables.
You lucky, lucky. Atleast they didn't ask you where u get your proteins from. (Or did they?)
ouch..this is clearly a sensitive topic...and though i hardly eat veg fare, i can emphatise cuz my bestest friend is one and she's always been cribbing about vegetarian food and the lack of it in the states:)
ILL: Cabbage- because thats the only vegetable they had in the kitchen in Texas in the 60s (apart from french fries ie) :P
Mex and Ethiopian food is awesome for veggies though, no?
I rip on vegetarians all the time. In fact, it's one of my favorite past times. I do get away with it however, as I used to be one myself. I'm a foodie to the bone, and to experiment, tried meat once, and now I can't go three meals without it.
I'll admit I tend to not include vegetarians on my food escapades, including the time a few of us went down to INA market to try the beef in the mallu restaurants on the back side, but as I'm living with one right now, out of the five of us, and I grew up in a vegetarian household, I can put up with veggie fare too. I just can't seem to imagine life without meat anymore.
@Divya : Oh I have so been there!And not only do they eat most of your paneer butter masala,they divide the bill equally amongst everyone and you end up paying a hefty amount just like that!
@Nits : Like I mentioned in one of my earlier comments,veggie-restaurant options closer to our workplace is limited.We would have to take a long lunch break if we were to go to one of the Italian or Mexican or Thai resturant!
@Pri : Thu.Unhealthy ya.
@CW : You said it!And it starts right from home!The husband says proteins from lentils and other veggie options are bad proteins.
@jpb : Actually there are tons of veggie options here. Mexican, Italian,Ethiopian,Mediterranean, Chinese. Just that nothing close enough to office other than desi joints.
@Bikerdude : Hehehe.Thats something I am hearing for the first time!
And yes,you are right,there are tons of options.
@Reno : I am a complete foodie too and love trying out various cuisines.Just cannot bear the thought of eating an animal,thats all.And there are several good restaurants here that have something to please both M and my palates so we are not complaining! But no such luck as far as the workplace is concerned!
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