There are 26 days, 624 hours, 37,440 minutes, and 2,246,400 seconds left until midnight September 5th, 2023. On that 5th day of September, meat will be officially outlawed and no longer available to produce, sell, purchase, nor consume in Cinniapolis. Well, not all meat, by the basic definition as being the flesh of any animal.

As far as anyone can tell, the legislation allows fish and seafood to continue to be fished and caught and sold to the general public. The Chorus reached out to Waldo Penney, owner of Penney’s Fish Market, for comment, “We haven’t heard any news of this juvenile, irresponsible legislation affecting our practices or products. We expect to continue operate as we normally do and are preparing for a spike in sales when meat is officially banned,” said Mr. Penney, unable to hide his distaste for Mayor Gondola. “This guy (Mayor Gondola), there is no end to the amount of control he wishes to exert on the public in order to re-make it in his own image.”

For those trending towards optimism, the month of August locally has been dubbed “The Final Chowdown” with families and friends bidding adieu to their meats with barbecues and cook-offs, among other activities to show their appreciation for meats and cooperation for the new legislation.

“We enjoy backyard BBQs, the taste, the culture, the camaraderie of cooking, flavoring, and eating good meats with family and friends. So now, with the new rules, we’ll adapt and find a different way to bond and create memories over hearty meals and new recipes,” said R.C. Fregg, a local horse trainer. “We’ll find ways to grill seafood and veggies, it’s like turning over a new page,” he said.

But, not everyone shares his Pollyanna outlook on changing one’s diet as a result of the government. “It’s my God-given right to put in my body what I want to put in my body. See those rocks and gravel over there? It’s my right to eat them if I wanted to eat them. Wouldn’t taste great or go down too smooth, but it’s my choice,” said a local Cinniapolitan who wished to be identified as “Meat Lover”. The Chorus could not find any legislation banning the consumption of rocks and gravel. “That’s not the point. The point is I control what I eat, not the Mayor. And what or who is gonna stop me from eating my meat? Nobody, because if they do, I’m fully loaded to defend my rights,” said Meat Lover.

These are the prevailing attitudes of the moment, the majority willing to roll with the changes, understanding they have options just outside city limits to continue their meat intake, should they choose to do so. While the smaller segment of the population remains defiant, ready to confront the forces of government that is taking their meat away.