This has never happened to me before, so I was really excited! I don't leave the house much, and this was all a matter of being in the right place at the right time. I went to Disc Replay today. They sell used CDs/DVDs/video games/etc. I got a bunch of DVDs, and while I was browsing I heard the employees talking. There was a girl and three guys (I don't know why there were that many today, usually there's only two people at most). I heard them say something like "what are you a vegetarian?" to the girl, and then they said, "when did this happen?!"



So then when I was paying for my dvds, they were still talking about it. I asked if they were talking about vegetarianism, and the guy said, "she's a vegetarian." I said something like, "oh yeah? I'm vegan!" The girl said, "see? HE knows what's up!" So we all started talking about it, and one guy said, "what's VEEgun?" So blah blah blah, no animal products, yada yada yada. The guy checking me out said, "may I ask why?" and I forget what I said, but I mentioned something about milk having pus, and all the animal suffering, etc. I talked about how good soymilk is, and some other things. The guy said, "yeah that's fine, but a veggieburger instead of beef? C'mon!" The girl came up to me and asked if I had seen the Meatrix, and I said yes. She said that's what motivated her to go veggie. So then I was talking to the guys again, and they were asking what I eat and whatnot. I said I know it sounds like I don't eat anything, but there's actually a TON of stuff I can eat. I was as friendly as I could possibly be, and I don't look unhealthy, so I think I made an ok impression. Then (as per the title of this thread), the guy checking me out said, "What about fruit?" I wasn't sure if I heard him correctly. "What?" Him: "What about fruit? Can you eat fruit?" I just blankly stared at him and finally said, "yeah. Um. Yeah, I can eat fruit, there are no animal products in that!" I was totally thrown off by that! I mean if he didn't think I could eat fruit, what DID he think I ate?!!



So that was basically it. There were other people who were buying things, and I didn't want to hold the whole thing up (even though it's a really relaxed place). I really wasn't prepared at all for that though, I wasn't expecting it. In retrospect, I COMPLETELY forgot to say anything about how I don't *wear/use* animal products either. I easily could have pointed it out, too, my cloth wallet, belt, my synthetic Vans shoes. Oh well. I also really wish I had talked to the girl more. I don't know how long she's been veggie, but if they didn't even know, it was obviously fairly recent. She sounded perfectly serious about it though, not just one of those weird things people say to screw with their friends or something. I just hope she'll stick with it, which is why I wish I had offered her any help or advice. At least I know she's seen the Meatrix, so she can probably find any other info if she desires. I'm hoping I'll see her again though. It's a small place so they don't have very many people working, and their inventory changes rapidly because of the nature of the business, so I go there pretty often.



Sorry if that was a lame story to tell, I'm sure most of you have had more meaningful experiences, but I don't go outside much.

WAIT A MINUTE.

YOU CAN EAT FRUIT?!?!



HOW ABOUT VEGETABLES?? CAN YOU EAT THOSE TOO?!!



Haha cool story!!!!

That's cool that people are being motivated to change based on seeing the Meatrix. I'm a little surprised by that as I didn't think it was a particularly moving animation, but I'm glad it's working for some people.



and yeah, don't you know... Fruitarians eat fruit. Vegetarians eat vegetables. That is all okay, bye bye.

Jeez can u eat fruit??? wtf... did you tell her about VB????

*shocked* you mean you DIDN'T know fruit comes from cows?? :P

Danny - I can eat a vegetable--as long as it doesn't cast a shadow. I'm a level 5 vegan.



kpickell - I really like the Meatrix. People don't realize that they're learning while watching it! Plus, the fact that it DOESN'T straight out say "Go Veggie!" keeps people from turning away from it right away. I've posted the link and had lots of omnis say "I want to see the next episode!" You're right though, it's not actually that moving, but I think they were trying really hard to make it seem "fun" to watch.



KnifeSkillz - Nah, I didn't tell her about VB. Like I said, as soon as I left I wished that I had said more.



iceflower - I know fruit comes from cows, but they're happier on farms and they LIKE to be defruited, that's what cows need!

I'm glad I'm only vegetarian! I can still eat fish and chicken.

The meatrix is one of those funny little cartoons. I used to lurk on a few anti-AR boards, and they basically said "This is damn propaganda. Close your eyes and put your fingers in your ears before watching this." They weren't impressed.



However, this is based on the opinion of a few hillbilly ****s, so you can't really expect objectivity. However, b3ta.com featured the meatrix in its newsletter, and gave it good reviews.



I watched it and found it to be a little tacky myself. Although the message is very good - It isn't the same old AR crap that's been spouted forth for a while. It's a fresh way of dissing the meat industry.

That's a cool story. Doesn't it feel good when an opportunity to share like that comes along? It doesn't happen often to me, but I am always happy when it does.

You crack me up!



Tommy Gun, great story! I hope you bump into her again!

*drops the orange she was peeling* Darn it, I knew it was too good to be true!

It really is a common misperception, due to the label vegetarian. Most people think all we eat are salads. It isn't helped by commercials such as the current one from Boston Market, in which the funky, red-haired first character's line declares self-righteously "I'm on a vegetarian diet," and she's later shown eating a salad. Mmm, yum. Can that be my whole meal every time I eat? Please? :yuck:

ahh, i wish there was a way to know who is vegetarian when you're walking down the street or something, so that you know who to strike up a convo with, hehe. but yesterday i bumped into a boy who was wearing a button that said "i don't eat anything with a face" and just walked by without saying anything

Here's a (kinda) humorous Vegan Radar test for spotting other vegetarians:



http://www.veganstreet.com/veganliving/veganradar.html

when i find out someone else is a vegetarian i think i kind of scare them because i get so happy there are others out there.

we need a universal sign for vegans and vegetarians. like a button that everyone can get for free and its just like a huge V and everyone knows what it means and it would be great. and raw fooders could have one too! it would be like an apple.

oh my, I so would not wear a V button. hahaha. But I do know what you're saying.



(Kinda like that book "Am I blue" where they wish all gay people were blue so we wouldn't have to wonder anymore)

Actually, I could swear I've seen this somewhere on the Web. Look around...

There is. Peta has a little "V" pin for only $3. I've actually been thinking about getting one.

http://www.petacatalog.org/prodinfo....tem=9&mitem=19

LOL, vegan radar. If any ONE of those on the list showed up around me, I would SO ask the person about veganism. Sometimes I think that if there are any vegans at my college, they've been driven WAY underground.

Tommy Gun. I would keep going back to Disc Replay. Chances are your Veg friend might be glad she ran into you too!

but it needs to be something the nation/world would reconize. that would be so awesome. not just a peta V....

Rebelgirl, the one problem with that idea that I see is this: I already feel like a marked person in a highly omnivore-dominated society. While I would love to be able to express my identity to other veggies, I could totally see that being twisted around by the segment of omnivores who are angry and bitter. I don't want to have to wear what could be come the modern version of the Jews' Star of David in the Holocost.

If you are unaware of what goes on with meat (I was only vaguely aware -- I knew about stockpiling animals, but I had no idea about chickens getting their beaks cut off...), the Meatrix actually does a really good job of bringing it all to your awareness. I researched farming a little further that day. It's one of those things I saw that urged me to press on....

I found a vegetarian on a bus trip once. I could tell he was one, I just somehow knew it. And it turned out he was.



I am always on the lookout at the grocery store..... I sometimes find myself holding my breath as they unload their cart, waiting to see if they have meat products hidden underneath everything...it's ridiculous (but anyone who participated in my Grocery cart spies thread already knows what a nut job I am where the grocery store is concerned ).

lol...dude thats messed up.

Fruit? I duno whether to laugh or cry



Personally i prefered "Cows with Guns"



There's plenty of vegetarians around here, just found out my neighbours been one for 10 years, i've always worked with at least one, and there's 2 on my course at uni that i know about, and no doubt there's more, cos i haven't spoken to half of them. Even then though, i was talking to one of em a few weeks ago, and was telling her how i'm trying out veganism at the moment, and even she asked "what do u eat??"

you mentioned that you look healthy so you think you made a good impression. it just remined me - i'm always worried about whether i look healthy or not. i'm the perfect weight, for instance, - right in the center where i should be but some people have asked me (after they found out i'm vegan) if that's why i'm "so skinny". i'm not skinny. i'm normal!

it's annoying. i know i shouldn't care about what people think of me that much. and i kind of don't. but i dont want them to think tha all veg*ns are unhealthy.

So gay men like smurfs?

golly, I feel lucky I know quite a few vegetarians at my school, though I'm not sure if there are any vegans... but at least I have a daily reminder that I'm not 'alone' in my diet habits!