Button Sunday


This button was given to me by someone who got it from an employee of Morrison’s Cafeteria. It was part of a Morrison’s ad campaign, no idea what year. I share it because it gives me an opportunity to divulge another humiliating childhood experience!

I don’t know what the cafeteria was, but I remember my family going to one in Greenville, South Carolina, when I was around nine–my post-traumatic years after The Most Evil Teacher In The World turned me into a social basket case (thanks, Miss Wills!). I was overwhelmed by the entire process of cafeteria-style dining; having questions hammered at me from the people slapping food onto plates, unable to make my terrified responses heard over the noise. So when it came time to order a meat entree, I pointed at what I thought was some variety of steak. When we arrived at our table and our trays were set in front of us, my mother realized I’d received liver. She was none too nice about it, to tell you the truth, probably exasperated because she knew I’d take one bite and spit it out. But before she could make a big deal out of taking me back and getting me something I’d eat, my father graciously offered to trade meals with me. (Hero!)

It’s clear this event traumatized me not only because I remember it [number redacted] years later, but because it was almost a decade before I’d agree to enter a cafeteria-style establishment again. In fact, it wasn’t so much that I agreed as that I had no choice. That’s the way food was served in my freshman dorm. I had to get over it or go hungry. A girl can’t live off popcorn and Sunday night pizza or sandwiches from Uncle Andy’s Deli.

Still don’t eat liver, though.

2 thoughts on “Button Sunday”

  1. I don’t eat liver, either.
    I did buy it once to use as bait when I was training Phoebe in tracking. Made me gag just getting it from the package to the pan to cook up. Like one big blood clot.

    1. Ew–nice image! We gave raw liver to the dogs until we found out too much liver causes muscle tremors in dogs. So they only got little bits of liver occasionally. Chopping liver never bothered me as much as kidneys, though, which….well, their odor was exactly what it should be. I don’t understand how people get past that to eat kidney pie or whatever those dishes are that have kidney in them.

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