Comelonio's Crime: Being Flexitarian

The protagonist of today's story has a name as curious as the story that I am going to tell you. It is about Comelonio and to begin this story we situate ourselves in a court.

Comelonio is sitting in the dock and there is a judge with one of those old-fashioned white wigs with a mallet that says silence and hits the mallet several times on the podium. The session begins and the judge says: "Comelonio, you have been accused and found guilty of the crime of being a flexitarian. You are sentenced to 10 years in prison without any bail."

Comelonio, who is completely in shock, replies: "judge, but I only eat meat from time to time." The judge tells him: "meat is a gift from the gods, reducing its consumption is an insult. Guards, take it away." They have a couple of very well armed soldiers and they drag Comelonio out of the court through the special door where they take the prisoners. There are murmurs of people saying different amounts of things in the courthouse.

Once inside the prison, we see Comelonio who is in his cell, in his bed, and the prison guard arrives with the food. The watchman tells him: "Eater, here is your only meal for today, meat and more meat," and hands him a huge plate with very large pieces of red meat. Comelonio looks at her out of the corner of his eye and says: "hey, I'm not going to eat this, I can't eat this." The guard tells him: "Well, if you don't eat it, you're going to starve, you're a criminal for refusing meat, that's why you've been judged." Comelonio decides to remain faithful to his principles and does not eat the meat. Several days go by and all Comelonio does is drink water and he begins to get weaker, weaker, he is very, very weak.

But suddenly, as the days go by, the noise of pots and metal banging against the prison bars begins to be heard and suddenly a tremendous riot breaks out and people, hundreds of people, hundreds of prisoners are heard screaming. Well, it turns out that the prisoners rioted.

A prison riot is happening which is caused by the prisoners who are vegetarian and vegan. The vegans and vegetarians have risen up and well, they get to the cell where our friend Comelonio is and one of the prisoners yells at him: "freedom for those who love plants, freedom for those who love plants." He tells him: "Comelonio, come with us." Comelonio, without hesitation despite the fact that he is very, very weak, joins them and after several skirmishes manages to break out of the prison.

In the next scene we can see Comelonio free. Several days have passed outside the prison and Comelonio is celebrating his freedom with all the vegetarian ex-convicts. Comelonio tells everyone: "thanks for freeing me, now I know there is nothing wrong with being a flexitarian." One of the prisoners tells him: "meat should not deprive you of freedom, let's eat these delicious vegetables." And everyone laughs and celebrates their new way of life, free to eat however they choose.

This story from today makes us reflect on different aspects of life and what being a flexitarian is and how things can ironically and sarcastically change in one way or another. In a world where most people eat meat, what if being a flexitarian was a crime? How would it affect us and our freedom of choice?

Comelonio's story makes us reflect on the importance of respecting the decisions of others and learning to live together in a diverse society in which everyone has the right to choose their own diet and lifestyle.