Somewhat a vegetarian

—“No chicken or turkey should have to sacrifice its life just so I can eat!”
I said that to a lady lifeguard friend at the Canandaigua YMCA swimming-pool, and it went over like a lead balloon.
“I still east fish,” I added. “But I’ve become somewhat vegetarian.”
I no longer enjoy other meats. Hot-dogs yes, but with vegetarian baked-beans — no bacon.
I’ve been eating out one night per week with other bereavers. Most are widows, but one is a widower.
We haven’t been able to do so for a couple weeks. One widow went to Lake Tahoe, and one has family obligations, etc.
I had to stay home the other night, but wasn’t interested in another fish-meal.
I coulda bought two grilled-chicken snack-wraps from Mickey-D’s, but didn’t want chicken. It’s not so much that first rule, although it factors.
Most nights are cook-my-own meals, and often include a veggie substitute instead of real meat. Fish is twice a week. When we eat out I generally get something cheese-based, or pasta.
Some of my meals are from the supermarket. They have a deli section. They also sell store-made soups. I especially like their vegetarian lentil chili, which is more a soup.
Recently they didn’t have that lentil chili. I had to buy turkey chili.
Ugh! Too salty. It was only bearable. And of course turkey is not what I wanted. “No turkey should have to sacrifice its life,” etc.
Worse yet is beef chili. I have one in my freezer, but don’t look forward to eating it.
My widower friend likes red meat, but I haven’t eaten red meat in years. “No cow should have to sacrifice its life,” etc.
I’ve tried veggie-burgers; they were okay, more or less. Pasta or a grilled-cheese sandwich woulda been preferable. What, pray tell, was added to that veggie-burger to make it beef-like?
So what to do the other night. I had a small portion of turkey-breast in my freezer, and was gonna shred that into tomato-sauce. But “No turkey should have to sacrifice its life,” etc.
So I looked for something else in another supermarket deli, and bought a pasta-based salad.
Back into my freezer went the tomato-sauce. I’ve had that turkey for months, and never know when I’ll eat it.
I might end up throwing it out; which contradicts the way I was brought up: “Little children are starving in China. You better eat them Brussel sprouts!”
I like being friends with that lifeguard-lady. But obviously we’re just pool friends.
I’d be too hard to live with; e.g. the way I eat.
My wife’s brother once noted my penchant for order-out-of-chaos. My dishes get put away just so. —He dared not disturb my order.
That lifeguard is a great friend, but only at the Canandaigua YMCA swimming-pool. Step outside and we’re worlds apart.

• For 2-3 years or more I did aquatic balance training in the Canandaigua YMCA’s swimming-pool. I dropped out for the moment so I could try dry-land balance-training at a hospital Physical-Therapy. I continue to use the pool on-my-own.
• “Mickey-D’s” is McDonald’s.
• My beloved wife, who died over seven years ago, had only one other sibling, her brother, who was two years older. He’s still alive, and comes to visit occasionally — staying in my house. He lives in south FL.