Bringing home the bacon

A young family sits down to dinner.  The father is at the head of the table, the mother at the other end, and two children sit between them.  The food on the table is pretty traditional fare for many American families.

There is a beef roast surrounded by potatoes, carrots, gravy and hot rolls.  A large toss salad sits on one corner and dessert is behind them on the sideboard waiting to be eaten.  It is a normal happy family.

Soon after this, the father is killed in a freak accident and the mother, now widowed, must eventually get back into her routine of shopping and preparing meals so her children can get on with their lives like children should.

For a while she goes to the grocery store and the food appears on the table like before.  Everyone is grieving the loss of their father, but content to simply sit together and eat.  Until one day the little boy asks, "When are we going to have a beef roast again?  Remember how it was the last time we had dinner with Daddy?"

Mother explains that the freezer is empty, their supply of frozen meat has been used up, but she tells them she will go to the butcher's soon.  And she does.

She calls and makes an appointment and, on the appointed day and time, shows up. The butcher meets her at the door and welcomes her in.  She follows him to the back where she enters a small shed.  On the door above the shed is a freshly painted sign.  It says, Ferdinand.

Inside stands a lovely black Angus steer with large brown eyes.  The butcher introduces them and leaves saying, "You have ten minutes."

The woman stands in front of Ferdinand, who lows gently and nudges her with his head.  She is surprised by the feel of his hair and the way his sides heave as she pets him.  As the time for the butcher to return comes closer, she remembers the small card her husband left on his dresser, just in case something ever happened to him.

Taking it out, she quickly reads out loud, "Thank you Ferdinand for giving your life that we might live.  We are truly sorry that is your fate in this world, but we appreciate you and honor you with all our hearts."

The butcher returns moments later and escorts her into another room where she straddles a long bench facing a small window.  She assumes that since she has already paid for her meat, the butcher will hand it to her in neatly frozen packages when the shutters open.

There is noise on the other side. 

Two hands reach through.

Handing her a loaded rifle, a voice tells her,  "Just place the muzzle tightly against his head and pull the trigger."  The hands disappear and Ferdinand steps up, placing his large head right in the center of the opening.  A tear falls from his eye . . .