The Robert dialogues

On a recent night Robert asked why Chik Fil A uses cows in its ads.

I told him, well, the cows want you to eat more chicken instead of eating cow.

That's what Mom said!

That's because she's right. You eat cow, you know.

I do?

You do. What comes from a cow?

Dairy.

That's true, yes. What does the meat of a cow get made into?

Milk?

No silly. Steak comes from cows.

Elizabeth eats cow!

Hamburgers come from cows.

Ohhhhhhhhh

You eat pig, too

No, Elizabeth eats pig. She loves ham.

That's true, ham comes from pigs. But so does bacon, and you love bacon.

Dad, I only eat bacon once a day!

Once a day? Don't you mean more like once a month?

Once a day when mom puts it on my plate.

And so does pork chops. What other animals do we eat?

Swan?

Hmm, no, people eat duck and goose but I've never heard of anyone eating swan. You've eaten lamb.

Really?

Yes, at Christmas, that was lamb.

You told Elizabeth it was steak!

That's true, we did. Elizabeth loved the lamb. She wants us to get more.

Dad, did you know, some people eat dog.

That's true -- I don't know anyone who eats dog, though. Some people eat horse, too. Have you ever had fish?

Yes, when you and me and Elizabeth went to visit Nonna and Da this summer, we had fish. It was after you went home.

Oh really? What kind of fish?

I don't remember.

One time when Nonna came out here to visit us, I made salmon on the grill. Salmon is fish.

I know that, dad.