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Gary Gruber's avatar

We slaughtered and butchered our own animals on grandparents' farm when I was a kid and I dare you to look into the eye of a steer, sheep or pig and not see fear, partly your own. My Dad and Mom started their life together operating their own butcher shop ( Ok, meat market) and grocery store in West Manchester, Ohio. I came into their world 6 years later but they still helped the farm to produce meat for at least 4 of our families and more. My Dad moved on to a career in wholesale groceries. And you should have seen my grandmother kill one of her beloved chickens, will spare you those details, then after putting it through a bucket of scalding water and picking off every smallest pin feather, bake and serve it up for Sunday dinner for about a dozen of us. She kept a flock of 60--80 egg layers. Better keep laying them eggs, ladies, because she knew who was finished and so they were having served out their time. Now you have made me want to go see that first Temple Grandin movie where she figures out how to build the cattle shute. She sees things we miss.

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Gary Gruber's avatar

Thanks. I have a background that was full, richly rewarding, often challenging. I may have had more experiences that a lot of people have and my kids and I talked about some of this recently, lots of love and laughter, tears and common concerns. Stories, and on some topics, like this one, that would surprise some people. How about witnessing your first post-mortem at age 16, with your girlfriend's physician Dad doing the work? That was a doozie, as I had not heard about involuntary muscle movements (cadaveric spasm) after being dead for awhile and moving the body. Scared the bejeezus out of me!

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