Maybe Meat Should Just Be For Food
"They like them alive," he whispered to me.
"It's more fun for them to pounce." He didn't say it too loud
didn't want to interrupt the show.
More fun for who? I wondered.
The sun shone brightly on my face.
I quit straining to see over the row in front of us
The floor of the cage covered in straw.
Shadows on the floor
made the lions' den look like a cheap red plaid.
After a while the straw soaked up all the blood.
"It's easier to clean up when the straw is there.
They used to just use sand,
but it was too much hassle to shovel in and out, you see"
I shrugged his comment off. I hated watching this.
These poor animals being forced to entertain the crowd.
They were just animals, right?
They don't know the difference between food and killing? Do they?
"I love it, now they start with the rabbits
just workin their way up.
You know, up the food chain."
He began laughing at sheep trying to escape the raging lions'
razor sharp claws.
I hated the audience, smiling and drooling over the blood.
I had to turn away.
"Don't be a pussy boy; you look on.
Hell, this is a good show,"
he leaned close to me, cheap beer on his breath,
"I heard they were going to throw some criminals in later."
I know this wasn't right; someone had to stop this.
It went against everything.
The lions had plenty of food at the zoo,
cows would be great for milk or hamburgers;
the sheep could make clothes for people,
even the chickens they threw in earlier could be saved.
Why was everyone so excited
Seeing these animals eat each other when they could be tomorrow's dinner or lunch?
Why was there so much blood?
"Here come the criminals, you can tell by the guards with the guns."
No, this can't be happening.
Why are the people getting more excited?
Why are they getting up and shouting?
But the lions aren't hungry anymore;
they are just lying in the straw and blood,
their shiny manes turning maroon and nappy.
"What the hell?!" Why aren't they goin' after them?
Don't they know what to do?"
Sure they know what to do.
When they are hungry, they eat.
When they are tired, they sleep.
They're animals.
Now the crowd is very angry; everyone is shouting.
The crowd has started to beat on the cage.
Trying to excite the lions into action.
The criminals inside the cage look confused
and scared.
After ten minutes of shouting and cursing, the guards finally step in
Quick and painless the bullets rip into their flesh.
The criminals lay dead in the straw, with all the scraps of animals.
"Well, that wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be.
But at least those damn convicts got what they deserved."
When we got to the car my father was shaking his head,
cursing at the lions.
Irate.
I asked him if he still thought that they were more fun alive.
He hit me with nearly all his strength;
I knew it was going to be a long night.