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4.01.2011

the meat metaphor.

the thing about the new york city subway system is that you're bound to run into someone you know.

the longer you live here the greater your chances. (until you've lived here so long that everyone else has moved away. but i'm not there yet. close, but not yet).

often. when least expected. the door opens and a shadow of distant days steps on, looms over you.

i ran into one such...shadow not so long ago.

we made polite conversation.

i asked him a question regarding something my mind had retained from years previous.

he remarked on my good memory.

i smiled.

turned my head towards my lap and smiled.

i really wanted to turn to him, look right at him, say yes, i remember everything and get off at the next stop.

but i simply smiled.

and sorted through the conjured memories by my lonesome as innocuous language was used to fill the seven-year-stop-gap between us.

weeks later now a new memory has arisen. and it makes me giggle. makes me feel like i'm eighteen and young and the world is harmless.

ready? he compared men to different cuts of steak. asked why i'd want a macdonald's big mac when i could get a tender filet from the best steakhouse in town.

ha, steak. men!

funny because now i'm a full-fledged, card-carrying vegetarian (if they carried cards, i'd have one).

the metaphor never made too much sense to me anyway. and certainly never got him what i assume he wanted which was not all...above-board, shall we say.

and besides, i always liked a good big mac.

all in its time. all in its place.

15 comments:

::: Wild lola {Naia} said...

so good! I love how you write

Melissa said...

You have the most ridiculous way with words.

becky said...

You are a girl who can write. If it was, uh, cuts of steak...you'd be the best fillet around. (What an odd compliment that sounds!) Beautiful! A nice little anecdote in itself, but ever so nicely patched up and etched onto with wonderful words.

Jenni Austria Germany said...

i'm a CCV too.
and i never liked steak.

look a little closer said...

perfection.

i think you and words could have a love affair that would make most jealous!

xo

Laura Marie said...

Love this, even more so because I adore those shadow-from-the-past-coming-into-the-present moments.

Oh, and how did we not talk about vegetarianism?! (I got judged haaard for not getting any meat at Carnegie Deli. True story.)

Spratt said...

Good post! It would be fun to hear more about the backstory of this mysterious figure from your past.

Anonymous said...

There's nothing wrong at all with a good Big Mac.

And also, it seems you often wish you'd reacted differently, (I do this all the time,) but maybe that's what makes you special; makes you who you are... you are Meg! Hear you roar! ;)

christine said...

I love: All in its time. All in its place.

Amen.

karajean said...

I always try to decipher which men are which when you write about them, but it's pretty dang impossible. But I suppose that is the point?

Shannon said...

Meg, I just have to say, that I love A Seperate Peace. That is one of my all time favorite books. I read it all the time! And I highlight all my favorite passages!

amy said...

I adore your words. The way you write brings a smile to my face.

Following you now my doll x

kisses,
amy !
www.amyflyingakite.com

Jenni@Story of My Life said...

You write so beautifully. This was fascinating.

Can I come to NYC and be your BFF? Mmmkay thanks. :)

Jennifer M. said...

Interesting. I'm curious about the context to that steak story. Did he mean that he was the steak and that you should choose him?

Kelly said...

Poetic, beautiful and so true. Sometimes you just want a Big Mac kinda guy.