My Strange Habit

"I never go without my dinner.  No one ever does, except vegetarians and people like that. "
 ~Oscar Wilde

I just noticed that I have a strange habit. (I have countless strange habits but, their being habits, I tend to not notice them unless someone points them out.) So what's this strange habit? I say grace. Huh? Yes, me - not a Christian, Jew, Muslim, Dervish, Zoroastrian, Treky, iPhone-ian or anything. A dyed in the wool, card carrying, devout, capital "A", Agnostic - gives thanks before eating. I think that probably qualifies as "strange".

Now, understand, not believing in any of those deities one normally associates with such behaviour, I don't give thanks to any such cosmic divinity. I thank the animal. And I mean it sincerely. There sits the pork chop on my plate - the sad remains of something that just a few days ago was kicking back, hanging in the slop 'hood with his buds and other homies, maybe having a brew or two and catching a game on the tube or, if he was lucky, getting over on some comely pigette, and then whamo! - bashed, bled, hacked up and packaged so that I can meet my daily protein requirements cheaply and effortlessly (Not to mention a lot more tastily than by sucking up mouthfuls of insects from a termite hill). I am damned thankful. And just in case there is a piggy spiritual world and this evening's dinner is looking down on me, I want him to know I am very appreciative. So, I say grace.