Thursday, June 07, 2007

Eating habits!

This is not a post in which I am speaking against non-vegetarians!
No, it's not a post which is not giving due credit to meat...
If you think its so, then its your fault.
This is a rant post about the food habits of certain people, who think that they are beyond all sorts of social norms - especially the "eating properly" norm.
I have lunch in the office cafeteria everyday... There are a couple of good ones and one or two which are terrible.
The place I like to eat, also serves meat.
So, you get all sorts of people who like to come there and eat since the food is usually not too spicy and oily.
But, my grouse here is about the people who eat meat - maybe chicken, fish for lunch.
They forget that they are sitting in close quarters with others and most of them don't have any manners.
They rip the meat off the bones, make weird noises while eating and worst of all use their hands to eat the meat - even though spoons, forks, knives are provided in plenty!
Eating by hand is part of our culture and most of eat using hands, but even with hands, one can be neat right?
The persons sitting next to or in front of such people are usually in for a hard time!
It's usually like watching Discovery or the National Geographic Channel in which they show Lions, Tigers, and other carnivorous animals pounce on their prey, rip the meat off and eat it!!! Why can't meat be eaten properly?
I have friends, who eat so neatly and the bones are kept aside very neatly, so that no one else feels icky just by looking at their plates!
I mean, when the food is wasted, it looks like some sort of animal went thru the meat and left the remaining for the crows and rats to feast on...
The talk and the chew is always loud!!! Maybe, they are trying to connect to their prehistoric ancestors!!!
I'm not saying all vegetarians eat very neatly, no they don't. You will find plenty of people stuffing food in their mouth, using their hands and spilling rice everywhere!
But, it looks much more gross when meat, rice and the gravy is seen spilt, stuffed into faces and are completely oblivious of the distraction they are creating!!!
Being educated and working in corporate companies means you need to maintain and follow certain norms - one of them being - eat properly - use spoons and fork and what-not!
So, that your face doesn't go green or purple with all that stuffing!!!
We need to be sensitive to others in such a huge culturally and geographically different environment.
Strict vegetarians usually don't even sit with people eating meat, they don't visit restaurants where meat is served.
One can't complain about it or say its wrong - that's how different we are as Indians...
It's difficult to eat when such people are around and it certainly makes me lose my appetite...
My solution? - go early before the predators attack the canteen and finish fast with my head bowed down and me not looking into other people's faces or plates!!
But, its still yucky!
Its a sensitive area - eating habits... But, when it comes down to table manners, I'm sure its right to expect some sort of etiquette especially from an educated human being - irrespective of whether he is a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian...

5 comments:

claytonia vices said...

You should suggest the HR to have etiquette training for everyone! anyway, the worst thing that can happen is that these people go abroad and show their 'skills'... :-)

Site manager said...

Bad table manners are one of my biggest pet peeves!

rayshma said...

with u on this one... i abhor ppl who don't (i'm sure everyone CAN, if htey tried!!) eat properly!! it's repulsive to even sit in d same room as such creatures!!

Anonymous said...

Such people must be whipped on their butts I tell you! Its table manners to eat decently and in a dignified manner without disgusting the others at the table!

Yes, an etiquette training is a must. Not just in eating habits, but also in grooming, dressing and mainly in communicating!

Pixie said...

Everyone: Tell me about it!!! It's so gross!!!
Table manners, etiquitte, communication skills - most people need extensive courses!!!!