The chicken debate

The cashier at Kroger was scanning my groceries while chit chatting with the lad who was packing the goodies in plastic bags.

"I thought y' all don't eat chickin." The young African American said, taking me by surprise.

I looked at him to make sure he was talking to me, so he thought I did not understand. Then, he moved his index finger in a circular shape around his face, referring to my head scarf.

"Oh! Yes we do eat chicken. And beef too. We don't eat pork though."

"I don't care what you eat or don't."

"But you asked..."

"Yeah, listen, I don't care if your religion tell yah you can't touch me or anythin. We touch your food while we're handling it, you know. I don't care if I am in the middle of the desert and there is no food but pork..."

"In that case, my religion tells me it's ok to eat whatever I need to keep myself alive." I replied thinking, duh! are there pigs in the desert?

"Well I don't believe in God or judgement day or life after death, but I don't understand how a woman walks in the store with her face uncovered, and when she gets to me she covers her face; I saw your face when you were comin in, I told her."

"Muslims are diverse in the degree of their religious commitment and practice and many have practices that are more cultural than religious." I said while I took my receipt and pushed my cart out of the store.