I am a photographer, and was assigned to take photos of a man who owns a BBQ restaurant. I was specifically supposed to get photos of him barbecuing ribs and brisket. Photographing the assignment was pretty difficult cramped into a tiny little kitchen. The cook was the most stereotypical Italian New Yorker I had ever come across (I'm an Italian myself, so this is saying something), complete with slicked back hair, an open shirt with a gold chain around his neck, and the strongest New York accent I had heard in quite a while. He finished cooking, and offered me the plate of ribs and brisket. I didn't want to offend him, but neither did I wish to explain to this very intimidating man that I was a vegetarian. It was also my first photographing assignment for the publication, and I was terrified. I told him that I had just eaten, and that I really wasn't hungry, but he shoved the food in front of my face all the same.

I didn't know what else to do, so I took the plate and sat down. I ate a little bit of the ribs and brisket (which was actually quite fantastic tasting) so as to appease the cook, and then asked for a box to put it in so I could "enjoy the rest later". When I got home, I gave the food to my brother-in-law and proceeded to spend the rest of the day with intense nausea due to the fact that I hadn't eaten meat in well over 3 years.

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