When I was eight years old my family lived in a small town.  At Easter one of the stores sold baby chicks as pets.  They were painted red and blue and they were so cute.  I asked my mother if she would buy one for me and I promised her that I would take care of it and feed it every day.  My father built a little area in our back yard with a little fence so the chick would not escape.

I took good care of my chick and after about one year he or she started to get bigger and fatter.  Then one day we were having dinner (chicken) and my father told me we were eating my pet.  He did not say it to be cruel.  I think he did not know how I would react.  Well .... I almost died ... I ran away from the table to my room and I cried and cried.  After some time I understood, but the experience of eating my pet was quite a shock.

Now when I think about it I understand, but it was such a terrible surprise to learn the truth, that I had eaten my own pet chicken.

In Canada, most people do not raise their own animals.  We buy all our food in the grocery stores.  Lots of people go fishing and clean and eat the fish but I never went fishing.  I don't know much about farmers but I really respect them because I know they work so hard and I would be in big trouble if I had to grow my own food because I have no experience.

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