Charlie Goes Vegan!
Channel: John Sakars
Date: 16/02/2022

Charlie Goes Vegan

Charlie was a teenager and wrote a song for dad to hear. 
Dad listened while he sat and watched tv and drank a beer. 
Charlie played his old guitar and sang about Lucy the cat. 
When he finished singing, he asked dad what he had been smiling at. 

Dad said that Charlie could not sing a song to save his life,
and that he'd need a real job if he ever hoped to find a wife. 
Charlie rolled his eyes and walked quietly back to his room. 
He thought to himself he didn't care if he never got to be a groom. 

The next morning, Charlie went to school and wore his leather coat. 
His friend Shelley asked him why he'd paid someone to slit a throat. 
Shelley said the coat was made from skins from murdered cows. 
She sent Charlie a link about leather and he gave it a browse. 

After school, Charlie went home and put his coat in the closet deep. 
He tried to take a nap but couldn't slip away into a sleep.
Lucy hopped onto the bed and Charlie petted her.
He thought about cows while he listened to Lucy purr. 

Charlie knew he'd better speak up for all animals. 
Speak up for all animals.  

Charlie wrote a new song, about cows,
while Lucy watched his dancing eyebrows. 
Charlie sang that cows don't want to die, 
and that cows shed teardrops when they cry. 

Charlie filmed himself singing his song. 
He sang using animals is wrong. 
He put his tune on the internet. 
He knew that this was his best song yet.

The next morning, Charlie went to school.
His classmate Joseph called him a fool. 
Joseph said animals are for humans to use, 
and that Charlie's video would get no views.
But Charlie knew that his song was right, 
and he was glad to share the cows' plight. 

Shelley and the link she sent 
with stories about animals
helped Charlie to learn better and do better.
 
During school that day, Charlie visited the library.
He found a book on animal rights and learned why to not eat dairy.
Charlie read about veganism and it made sense to him. 
He knew he'd never again eat someone's eggs or someone's limb.

When Charlie got home, he told his parents that he was a vegan now.
His mother said, "That's too extreme." His father said, "Wow.
That is awesome, because that means more meat for me. 
The pork chop that was for you tonight, I will eat happily." 

In the cupboard, Charlie found a can of beans that he could eat.
Along with potatoes and veggies, his meal felt quite complete. 
The next day at school, Charlie saw Shelley in the hallway.
She smiled and said, "I saw your music video. Yay! 
Thanks for singing for animals. I appreciate your voice. 
Thanks for teaching people to always make a compassionate choice."
Charlie said, "I'm vegan now." Shelley said, "I am too! 
We should start a club and share the animals' point of view."

Charlie loved speaking up for all animals. 
All animals. 

Together, Charlie and Shelley spread the word, 
that humans have no right to use a fish or bird,
or any other animals for anything.
To speciesist beliefs we must not cling. 

Slowly, many people came to see
veganism is a win for everybody. 
Even Joseph one day realized 
that his mindset had been colonized.

Corporations had conditioned him
to ignore compassion and let it dim.
To Charlie, the biggest surprise came 
when his dad went plant-based, and mom did the same.
They loved veggie burgers and vegan cheese. 
Plant foods helped them feel much more at ease.

Shelley and Charlie and their animal rights club 
helped people to learn better and do better.