Post #153124 by ZebraTiki on Fri, Apr 15, 2005 4:12 PM

On shopping trips as a kid, I was always dreading the meat counter where they had formed the ground beef into the shape of a pig laying in wait. The evil, glaring olive eyes cast blame on all who passed by. The sprig of parsley tucked over the beef-pig's ear did not make it playfully jaunty as they probably intended. Clearly, the parsley was further proof of the beef-pig's evil nature. They would put a plastic lei on it in the summer months. (Another Southern California sign that the seasons have changed.) I always wondered why no one ever seemed to buy the beef-pig, or even parts of it. How long was it there? Was it periodically carved up, and replenished? My parents were very zen about it ... "It's just there, okay?!"

When we were having hamburger, invariably one of my brothers would grab a hunk of raw ground beef, and chase me around with it, screaming, "It's the beef-pig's BUTT!" It's really hard to laugh and run effectively at the same time.