one man's trip to BK

[Guest guest]

Mark from the Earthsave list wrote this, and, i had to forward it!!!

fraggle

 

 

 

Oh, gawd... I feel so unclean......

 

I had to run some errands in Burtonsville, MD, late this morning, and there

was this Burger King in the parking lot of the strip mall.

 

Girding my loins, adjusting my shades, pulling up my pants, I went in. I

tried to swagger a bit, like some of the workmen I saw going in... look

tough... you're walking into a store painted in primary colors... could be

worse... could be McSlaughter's....

 

Felt like being a Dallas fan in a Redskins bar, only I had sunglasses on

and no one knew any better. What do I do? A long line. Quite the

mixture of ethic backgrounds, generally lower middle income. What sort of

demented artist designed this place? They are so happy selling dead animal

products. Better get in line.

 

The people behind the counter wear uniforms... are they a para military

force of some kind? The assault on my sense was almost too much. They

spoke some numerical code... " I'll take a Number 4, she wants a Number 5

without onions, I want a super-this and a mega-that " ..... very confusing...

 

I checked out the menu overhead... gaudy and bright.. Yup, the " BK Veggie "

$2.29... Lord... look at the other products on the menu... my internal

calorie counter was going off the scale. Unbelievable fat-laden and salty

food... look at all the dead meat. I hear Schossler chuckling with a

little Twilight Zone music in my head.... look at all the crap they are

selling, and buried in that visual abuse is the " BK Veggie " (next month the

big promo for all BK's will be Chicken Whoppers, btw).

 

The lady and kid in front of me were fascinating. She was clearly his

grandmother, and thin as a rail. The kid must've been around 8 or 9 years

old, and rarely have I see any child so obese... he had, literally, three

chins.. his ear lobes were the size of my thumbs... it was awful to see

what happened next. She order fried chicken fingers, large order of fries,

and a diet coke/pepsi for the boy. Absolutely amazing.

 

I placed my order. " BK Veggie Burger, microwaved. "

 

" Microwaved? " the guy behind the register said, slightly above the yelling

of people in the kitchen making and delivering orders (they were very

busy.... french fries literally flying around).

 

" Yup... I'd like it microwaved. You can do that... I checked. I don't want

it cooked on a meat greasy grill. " Was that rustling from people behind me

I heard or thought I saw peripherally?

 

He went over to the manager, who was barking orders at the adolescents in

the back. He nodded after a pause, looking at me like I'm an alien.. Hmm,

one of " them. " " Okay " was the final pronouncement.

 

" Here or to go? " the kid asked me. Hell, I don't know, I thought.... how

is this done?

 

" Ahh... h-here.. " I stammered (did the people behind me think I was from a

foreign country? I thought to myself). I paid the blood money.

 

" Number 61 " ... guess that's me. I raised my hand... " You got the veggie

burger? " , " Yup " , " Here! " he dashed to bark out more orders.

 

The burger was wrapped in Burger King paper and on a plastic brown tray.

Now what? Are people watching me? Get a seat, yeah....

 

Ketchup... sure... grab some packages... napkins... dodge the crowd at the

soda fountain.... get seat for good recon (near the kid and his granny).

Try to look nonchalant... cool... with it.... Master of the BK Domain....

 

Okay.... let's take a bite.... not bad... OUCH! (I don't own a microwave

and forgot about the heat...). It was small, edible, relatively

tasteless.... the bun was like eating styrofoam with a slight crust...

 

" Eat all your chicken fingers before they get cold " the wise Grandma was

advising her grandson, as he was shoveling french fries into his gaping maw

while grooving on his plastic toy that came with the meal.

 

I forced more of the burger down.... looking at people around me.... amazed

at what they were eating, as though this is civilized and we are the

greatest nation in the world.

 

I'm done... now what? Jeez... look at the people in the line... at least

50% of them are very overweight. Wonder if there's a connection?

 

Now what... okay... save napkins and ketchup not used.... throw away stuff,

advertisement paper place mat, put tray on trashcan. Unclean... unclean....

 

I sneaked out the back door.... Ah.... fresh air... sunshine.... it's over.

The cognitive assault had abated. I was free again... felt like gargling

with carrot juice.

 

Okay, Eric... I bought one outta support for the movement. Would I do it

again?

 

Only under extraordinary circumstances. Yes, it's encouraging to some,

especially if they promoted it better (at this store it was almost

invisible), and Mr. Marcus made good points. Yes, I would urge every veg'n

to buy at least one BK Veggie Burger, even if you throw it away. I think

he's right that it must succeed, or rather, it would be sad if it did not.

Presumably, the other Fat, er, Fast Food chains are watching.

 

But then, as comparison, at the Giant across the parking lot from the BK,

bagels are fifty cents, boca burgers are about a buck apiece when buying a

pack of four, tomatoes (or what pass for them), run around 99 cents a

pound. The salad bar is around $2.50 to $3 a pound. Across the street at

the incredible Amish market, potato wedges (huge potato) are a buck,

handmade burger rolls, six to a pack, about $2.20. Tons of fresh produce,

grains, legumes (beans usually $1/lb., millet somewhat less). The local

farmer's markets will open in a few months... fresh local produce.

 

Limp lettuce, translucent tomato slice, pale mayonnaise, and some carrot

flecks in the veg patty. $2.29 plus tax, lotta paper wasted. Flourescent

light and red/yellow color overdose.

 

Progress?

 

As luck would have it, packages of vegetable and greens seeds were on sale

for 10 cents apiece at the Dollar Store near the BK. Bought twenty

packages (brocolli, mustard greens, lettuce, basil, dill, parsley, etc...

most will be micro-greens for me... 30 to 40 gourmet salads for about 5

cents apiece (many many more if I grow them past adolescence), some soil,

water, and sunshine).

 

That's my idea of progress. This brand of seed is usually six to ten times

more in cost. You can buy organic seeds cheaper in bulk, elsewhere.

 

The kid was in the Dollar Store, too, his Grandmother buying him candy,

among other things. She was trying so hard to please him and he had her by

the pocketbook via her heart. And in her love for him, his heart was going

to have a rough time from the lifestyle being encouraged by her emotions.

How sad!

 

 

I shoulda slipped him some seeds..... told him they were magic, and that

with love and attention, they would make him strong and healthy, extending

his life and enjoyment of same. He would be able to run faster, jump

higher, laugh louder, love longer, and think better.

 

Of course, that's a fairy tale... and no plastic toys accompanied the seed

packets.

 

FYI, Mark