Well, not really. But that's what we told Pete.
See, I've been sick. And I lose all my imagination about cooking when I'm not peppy Jane. Last night was no different. What's for supper, Jane? I ask myself. I stare into the refrigerator. I stare into the cupboards. I can cut up vegetables for a stir-fry and I guess I could make hamburgers. But one of my kids won't eat hamburgers unless we have buns. We do have hot dog buns.
So I decide to shape the hamburgers like hot dogs and I tell the kids we are having Snake Hamburgers.
My youngest daughter says gross. But she then understood.
My oldest daughter who can be super sweet or super MEAN to her siblings tells Pete we are eating snake.
I say, "Pete, I caught the snake in the pasture today."
His face turns a pale green.
"Yuck," he says.
"Yum," says my youngest daughter as she takes a huge bite, evil sparkling in her eyes.
I place the plate in front of Pete. I cut the snake up.
I say, "Try it."
He's almost gagging. I shove a bite of meat into his mouth. It sits on his tongue.
"Chew, Pete."
He chews reluctantly with fear.
"What do you think?" we ask.
"It tastes like hamburger," he says with astonishment.
We laugh.
"It is, Silly," says the mean one.
Sometimes when it tastes like hamburger it is hamburger.
A little joking is a good thing.