The Importance of Being Earnest

An added benefit to this new vegan lifestyle I've been living (besides the incredible nutritional benefits, environmental impact, and overall good karma points) is the sense of superiority I now have over most people. (Especially if you're on that "new" Paleolithic diet. Enjoy heart disease, sickos.)

Picture this: It's Friday night, and I'm at Cabo Fish Taco to meet a friend's new boyfriend. (I was pretty sure she was keeping him in hiding from me until the last possible minute. What? I can be tough. But only to people that suck, and her boyfriend doesn't.) This friend also invited her brother and his girlfriend, who then invited another couple to join us.

Yaaay! Triple date...and me. How fun is THAT?

They all order cute little appetizers to share while I try not to barf in my mouth.  I decide to throughly enjoy my house margarita(s) and order the Rosarita Fajitas with roasted veggies and no cheese (yum).

Heads snapped in my direction.

"Are you a vegetarian?" asks Brother's Girlfriend.

"Yes I am, it was my New Year's resolution," I respond.

"I'm a vegetarian!" says Girlfriend in the Other Couple.

Pause. "Weren't you just pounding eating that crab dip?" I ask.

"Oh yea, well, I eat chicken and seafood," she says matter-of-factly.

Really? Because the last time I checked, chickens weren't vegetables. Luckily, I didn't actually say this because I had two margaritas' worth of tequila swimming in my bloodstream, which rendered me only able to let out a loud "Oh. Ok," and dig back into my fajitas. (Mind you, I think it's great that she doesn't eat red meat. Every little change can have a huge impact on your body and our environment. But calling yourself a vegetarian who "only" eats chicken and seafood is like saying you've been sober for seven years because you "only" drink whiskey and scotch.

"Ensley's probably going to tell us she's a vegan now," laughed Brother's Girlfriend.

Chuckle away, people. "I am a vegan, actually," I smiled.

The chuckling stopped. "You know, I've always wanted to be a vegetarian," said Brother's Girlfriend.

See, that's the thing about being yourself. You never know if you might suddenly encourage others to do the same. Most of all, whatever your choices are, own them, be respectful, or at least drink too much tequila to get in an argument about them.