Feed Lots
“the clear advantages
to animal and environment
standardized and certified
by the Truly Grassfed Alliance”
From Rex Butters
at a geezer steak house restaurant
old north woods lodge with fireplace decor
on a freeway onramp
in sunny coastal Oceanside
I find the last parking space
on their rolling multi level lot
inside
the hostess knows my party
white topped horseshoe table layout
conference room
new protein powder rollout dinner
slide show
straight from work
I’m the only one still in store uniform
I take my place at the table
the five dish menu runs from beef to fish
when the waitress takes my order
I tell her no thanks, I just had lunch
I’m just here for the presentation
thinking of homemade black bean soup
and kale enchiladas at home later
“no,” the guy next to me
leans in and offers
“the issue here is that he’s vegetarian
and there’s nothing on the
menu he can eat”
“we have something for vegetarians,”
she says softly
not sinisterly
writes something
moves away quickly
the protein powder presentation
discusses dairy derived whey
their protein source
he stresses
their use of Irish dairy farms
their spacious pastures
with charts, images, short video presentations
he demonstrates
why a few cows on a couple open grassy acres
beat feed lot
animals standing crowded in filth
force fed feed to fatten
alien to their alimentary canals
standing meat and milk farms waiting to die
natural lifespans quartered
despite drowning in antibiotics and steroids
the clear advantages
to animal and environment
standardized and certified
by the Truly Grassfed Alliance
everyone gets it
the 30 knowledgeable people around me
from health food stores
and health food manufacturers
brows furrowed
nodding
chewing
cooked muscle tissue cut
from these same sick feed lot animals
while they wonder at the cruelty
of the dairy industry
a white pound of paste
indifferently boiled and dressed in oil
sliced carrot rounds
served lukewarm, apparently
perhaps mercifully
without flavor
sits in front of me
“that looks awful,”
the guy next to me
chewing sick cow
leans in
and offers
“have ‘em wrap it up
in a box
maybe your wife will want it”
the woman next to me
taking her muscle chunk home
leans in
offers
“I don’t thinks so,”
I say
knowing her
Rex Butters
Rolling hills and wheeling crows, a voluptuous valley under sunset bloody clouds, night coyote pup trots, mouth full of rabbit or cat, pollinators buzz the trumpet creeper, windy, cold.
