You are what you buy, that’s what Thomas says. I tuck into my burger though it tastes like meat-flavoured polystyrene. Thom shows off his latest device.
Rachel slurps her shake, commanding silence for an aphorism. “If nobody sees you consume it, does it really exist?” she asks. Rach is deep that way.
Contemplatively, I chew a french fry, all carbohydrate and sodium chloride. I am becoming the Happy Meal. My friends watch the transmutation occurring,
In another mall, adjacent to my universe, more burgers are coming to life.
Friday fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields to write a 100-word story in response to a photo prompt. You can find other stories here
Neil MacDonald Author 
My effort touched on a similar theme, though yours is subtler and written with a defter touch. Nicely done.
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I’m sure not, Iain. I’ll check when I look at yours. I’ve been having a crazy day
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So, Neil, you are now a fictional burger!
This week is weird.
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And getting wierder by the minute. I can’t get the damn basilisk out of my bathroom
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I saw myself bloating to become a burger as I read this. Scary 🙂
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Thanks, Reena. Next week I’ll write a slimming story, so you’ve only got 7 days to endure the bloating
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🙂
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I wonder what you’re wearing today. Is it traditional beef with melting cheese and a slice of tomato or perhaps spicy chicken with a mango salsa? Either way, I’m sure you’ll stand out from the crowd! Great story, Neil!
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Plus fours and a feathered cap. Thanks, Edith
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Perfect! Thanks to you too, Neil.
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Dear Neil,
They do say you are what you eat. Two all-beef patties, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun. Alas my hips say that if no one sees you eat the extra fries, the calories are still there. Tastefully done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You forgot the special sauce 😉
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Oh no! Can’t forget that.
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LOL!!
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I think it’s because god is always looking
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Ugh. Yeah, that’s about how I feel with fast food. And mass consumerism, if you get right down to it…
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Thanks, Trent
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My beef with it is that all the money made by chain stores and restaurants goes to the same crappy group of a few hundred investors who own 90% of the world’s wealth. None of the money stays in the community. If we all stopped going to these places, they’d be gone in a year.
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Or we could submit a membership form?
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Ugh. You are what you eat and consume indeed…
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Thanks, Dale
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I’ve never had a burger from a Macdonald, Wimpey… whatever. Judging from your unique take on the prompt, the future of the human race depends on me and the limited number of others who can so claim. Good one.
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We’re all counting on you, Sandra
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Lovely surreal protest against consumerism. Nice one, Neil! (I have to confess to wondering how many decades it is since you ate a commercially prepared burger, though!)
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A mere matter of weeks. All writers need to slum it
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Oh, and I nearly forgot, that is a marvellous pun!!!
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Glad you caught it. Thanks, Penny
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Humans are becoming meatier. All this French fries and burgers.
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Yup
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And now I have vision of living hamburgers dancing in my head 🙂 Cool idea, Neil.
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Thanks, Linda
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I don’t remember the last time I had fast food anything. It is so unpalatable. Your take on the prompt exemplifies some of my reasoning. Nicely done.
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Thanks so much, Jo
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Mmmm…burgers. This made me hungry
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Not quite the effect I was aiming for
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Neil my friend, how do you manage to be deep and flighty all at the same time! Always enjoy reading your work. Thank you.
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What a lovely compliment! Thanks so much, Sheena
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Well, I love the voice in this. Phrase after perfect phrase. I felt I was at the next table!
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Thanks so much Jilly
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Thanks so much, Jilly
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Love it, Neil.I’m surprised I haven’t turned into chocolate.
Best wishes,
Rowena
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Thanks so much, Rowena
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Love your creative take on the prompt. If you are what you eat, I wonder what eating a lot of Chinese food means? =)
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Thanks so mucj, Brenda
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Nothing wrong with the occasional burger and fries – as long as it IS only occasional!
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One of my favourite indulgences
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“Do buy” ha! ha! That’s a great title. And loved the way this one was done. Beautiful writing.
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Thanks so much. I’m glad you got the pun
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I really like the sardonic tone of the story teller- a skilful way to criticise dreaded fast food. The last line is creepy .More burghers are coming to life. Nice writing.
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Thanks so much
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You have just made me a vegetarian…
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Cool. Enjoy
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Omg well done. This transformation is happening everywhere. A little disturbing the way you put it
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Thanks so much, Laurie
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Oh dear, I love this, how clever you are what you eat, simply brilliant!!
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Thanks so much
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The story of my life whenever I’m in a shopping mall 🙂
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Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water!
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I love a homemade burger with french fries.. not a fan of McD though.
a unique take.
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Thanks, Priya
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true in a way, everything is alive, only we can’t realize. thanks for stopping by on my blog
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I think all fiction is only true in a way. Thanks
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I must confess, I snickered out loud. Russell is shallow that way. 🙂
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He’s having an existential crisis and you snickered?
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I like this, ‘we become what we eat.’ Or perhaps the human race is being consumed from another universe – cyclically.
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Thanks, James. I think we do quite a good job of it ourselves, without aliens from another dimension
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Burgers and fries. Yes, yes, yes.
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No no no
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Ha Ha ;0)
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Like the creativity here & the play on words. Great read.
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Thanks so much, Lisa
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Nice one Neil, it works on a couple of levels and the message is either light-hearted or a singular warning depending on what the reader wants to choose
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Thanks so much, Michael
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Our global consumer culture is making us eat, look and think alike. This piece is witty, scary and thought provoking all at the same time.
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Thanks so much. I’d have liked to see your expression with that range of emotions
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This made me smile. I know it is supposed to be a warning and a bit scary but I enjoyed the humorous side.
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Thanks, Dawn. I had fun writing it
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This really puts a dark spin on “you are what you eat”. And just as I was started to eat a bit healthier and cleaner too. Good reminder for me 😉
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Thanks, Fatima. Please do continue to eat healthy
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Love this! Genius
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Thanks so much
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What fun! Quite an indictment that it’s just hamburgers coming to life. Will it be a Happy Melee?
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Thanks so much, Sascha
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Enjoyable read. Something in those shakes makes one wax philosophic.
I like all the chemical terms. They seem to judge society, on a very elemental level, for being too durn busy to cook real food!
That said, i should own stock in these places. 😊
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Thanks so much. I can’t help the chemistry. I was trained as biologist
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