1996 June 15 – When one thinks of a vegetarian, they think,
“What dedication! To not eat meat is quite the feat.” Others may have a more
disapproving reaction, spurning their fellow human. Whether the reaction is
admiration or disapproval, one vegetarian has decided to call it quits from the
strict diet of fruits, vegetables, legumes and the like.
Stanley Chavira, vegetarian of over a decade, broke his
lifestyle choice by eating pork at Dick Church’s Family Restaurant, an eatery in
Costa Mesa, California. Other patrons of the restaurant watched in awe as the
23-year-old ordered a pulled pork sandwich. “It was as if time stopped,” said
Robin Flats, a waitress at Dick Church’s. “I listened to the words come out of
his mouth, and I couldn’t believe what I heard.”
After the order was placed, Chavira patiently waited for his sandwich. Snacking on bread and sipping on ice water, he sat in the booth with a calmed cool. Witnesses claim there was a wave of tension, so intense that all they could do was fix their attention on the man and his meal.
And then it came.
Some found the act of meat eating to be inspiring, using
Stanley as a beacon of inspiration. “I think we all held our breaths when the
waitress brought out his food,” commented Danny Thump, a fellow patron. “He’s
an inspirational man. I’ve always been against riding in two seater convertables.
Thanks to Stan, I’m brave enough now to give it a shot.”
It was said that
Chavira took a modest bite and shrugged with nonchalance. When asked how his
first taste of meat in over ten years was, he replied, “It was okay. Maybe I’ll
do it again. But next time, I won’t let so many people know about it.” The
pulled pork sandwich, which Chavira did not finish, nor take home, came with a
side of French fries and a fruit cup.
