So there I was, just hanging around the changing rooms ...

Eavesdroppers hear the strangest things!  As a writer, I find it fascinating to listen, unobtrusively, to the conversations around me.  Yesterday, I broke my own rule, and joined in!

So, there I was, hanging around outside the changing rooms where David was trying on some jeans.  All three of the assistants in the store meandered down and made a cuppa in their tiny area next to the changing rooms - it was early on Saturday morning, and there was only one other customer in the shop, so they clearly felt it was ok to have a little break together.

'I've heard of all sorts of things, even vegetarian, but I'd never heard of fruitarian before.'

'No, what do they eat, I wonder?'

'Do they just eat fruit, then?'

'And I had to cook for her!'


At this point, I chipped in:

'Gosh, that's so restrictive.  I'm vegan, and that can be quite difficult, but fruitarians only eat something produced by a plant which is designed to be eaten, like fruits, seeds.'


'No, I didn't say "fruitarian", I said "cute-arian"!!'

'Cute-arian?' I queried, 'I've never even heard of one of those - what on earth does that mean?'

'She won't eat an animal she thinks looks cute.'

'Sorry?  What????'

'She eats meat, but not if it comes from an animal she thinks looks sweet!  I'd never heard of it either, and I had to cook for her!'

'So, if she thinks it's cute, she doesn't eat it, but she'll eat any animal that doesn't seem cute and cuddly to her?'

'Yep, that's it.  Weird, isn't it?'

We all agreed that it was very strange.  No ethical reason for avoiding meat, but if it's pretty, then don't put in on your plate.  Designed to cause attention, we decided, and to make a hostess very reluctant to issue an invite to dinner - how on earth is one supposed to know which animal she considers to be cute?

Would she eat a Bulldog, with its strong, rugged features, but not a Spaniel with its gorgeous, melting eyes?   Or would she eat any adult animal, but not a sweet baby?  Presumably no rabbits, but hares are more aggressive, so perhaps ...?  Rats aren't generally considered cute, not cockroaches, so maybe there's a thought for dinner?

I've just "googled" it, and this is what I discoverd:

1. cuteatarian
buy cuteatarian mugs, tshirts and magnets.  A person who eats only animals that they find unattractive.


Unlike my (vegetarian) friends, my cuteatarian friend only eats chicken and fish and avoids really cute and cuddly animals like cows, sheep, and piggies.


Presumbably she only cuddles small cows, and clean little pigs;  are adult sheep cute and cuddly?  Yes, frollicking fluffy lambs, but sheep?  Well, as the French say "vive la differance!"

I'm not sure I'll be incorporating cutetarians in my next story - goodness, I've only just learned how to spell it!