Night of the Living Vegan--Surviving Ruth's Chris!

Donna and I survived our Sunday night journey into the Carnivore's Haven, Ruth's Chris!
I felt a little strange ordering wines off a wine list and a baked potato with steamed asparagus, but I did it. Donna smuggled in some soy "butter" and soy cream for our coffee. That was the funny part. My family made more traditional choices. Steaks, shrimp, lamb chops, the good stuff! The hard part was smelling all those grilled meats and sauteed wild mushrooms with demi glace and mashed potatoes with roasted garlic. I can't complain. Donna and I chose the only vegetarian option in the place, the "choose 3 sides" entree plate. I got asparagus, broccoli, and a baked potato. Donna had the same, except she got sauteed spinach instead of the broccoli. My vegetables were cooked perfectly, and arrived to the table hot and green. My baked potato was the size of a small island, and cooked just right. With the addition of a slab of soy butter, it almost tasted normal.
Our waiter was a fellow named Joe. He was very courteous and knowledgeable about the menu. His service was impeccable. He was always there, but he was never intrusive. He seemed genuinely interested in helping Donna and I with our selections. I ordered Thai onion rings with a dipping sauce. I forgot that the dip had honey in it, but I used some anyways. It was quite good--the first honey I've had in 11 weeks or so. I could taste it right away. Donna and I had their house salad with oil and balsamic vinegar. That was good too. Dinner was surprisingly filling. Did I mention the baked potato was about 10 pounds? Dessert was a simple glass of seasonal berries shared between Donna and myself.
It was good to see my mother, uncle, brother, sister in law, and sister with her boyfriend, all together again. I realize that being with them is a little strange for me. We are all going in different directions, and I am not really involved in any of their lives in any real way. I have drifted away, carried away by my crazy workload, and the needs of my wife and kids. My family is my focus right now. My boys are getting to their end of their relationships with Donna and I, as far as needing us as everyday parents. We're beginning to see the writing on the wall that their lives are moving on and ours are starting the process of stepping aside. I realized that while I was eating, watching my sons Ben and Andrew carrying on an endless conversation that only close brothers can have.
I feel that what Donna and I eat sometimes makes us adrift when it comes to our relationships with our families. No one says it ( our families really loves us), but it's not "normal" to eat the way we do. Eating vegan food is still considered to be strange around here. Food and sharing meals brings people closer together. When all else is gone, people will share their last bit of food, hold hands, and pray for hope and better times. If everyone is sharing a meat dish, except for 2 people who won't eat it, chances are those people will be left out over time. (Or starve!) Do vegans share their last asparagus and baked potato in times of trouble? Probably--but it does lack a little romantic flair.
When my father was sick, we shared meals as a family. My wife would cook for 2 days to make a variety of things that would entice my father's waning appetite. We would come together as a family and enjoy the words and wisdom that he bestowed upon us in those painful days. My family doesn't seem to get together like that much anymore. I miss it a little.
So as I nibbled on my asparagus, I appreciated the happiness of my family. The food was good, the wine was good, the service was good. There were no ill feelings, only good ones, and I felt a calm come over me like I haven't felt in a few years. I felt like my father was there telling me it was ok to be me, to eat vegan in the Mecca of Meat. Even vegans can share a meal and some wisdom. I smiled for him, and thought how happy he would have been to see his grandsons graduating from college, with cool girlfriends, and the promise of good lives ahead of them. He would have been in his glory. He lived for dinners like that.
So I grabbed my steak knife and cut my Titanic-sized baked potato. There are always good times in life, even when things are tough. I look forward to the times when I can impart my wisdom on others. Even if I'm eating steamed broccoli and asparagus when everyone else is eating steak. Someday, maybe, being a vegan will be considered normal. I hope I will be there to share some fine dinners with my grandkids.