Sabrina looked at him for a long time before replying, „Do you eat meat?“
„Yes, but only very little and…“ Detlev tried to assure her.
„I didn’t ask how much or little or anything else, just whether you do it,“ she cut him off, „Did you tell me? I mean that’s how you eat?“
„No, but that’s normal. Most people eat meat,“ he said evasively, „You don’t have to tell me that. One assumes that. But if someone is vegan, then you have to say so.”
„You mean like you have to say right off the bat that you’re gay because it’s normal to be straight?“ she asked.
„Well, probably because someone is getting their hopes up and thinking that she’s just as normal as I am and then the big awakening will come,“ he said, rather unreflectively, only to add in shock, „Do you perhaps also want to say that you are you a lesbian?”

„No, I’m not saying that,“ Sabrina explained, still amused because she saw how much Detlev was involved in the narratives he grew up with. She couldn’t blame him, because obviously he hadn’t dealt with one or the other topic, „But it’s exciting what is considered normal. Apparently, what most people do forms the norm, is normal. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other opportunities that – if you’ve been socialized like we have – are denied and labeled as abnormal from the start.”
„But you don’t want to say that it’s normal to do without everything that comes from animals,“ he said, amazed.
„I think we can leave out the normal and abnormal categories for now because they don’t get us anywhere,“ said Sabrina.
„Perhaps one should ask more about why someone doesn’t consume animal products in any form.“
„Well, that’s clear,“ Detlev boasted, „It’s about not using animals. Well, at least that’s what vegans say, who are vegan for ethical reasons.“
„So, you seem to have made up your mind,“ Sabrina said happily, „But I’ll make you a suggestion, we’ll leave the topic today and you can watch Dominion or Earthlings if you feel like it. Then we’ll go eat and I’m curious what you’ll choose.“ Detlev agreed to the suggestion and only a few days later, when they met again for their joint run, he said that he now wanted to accept her invitation, because he had watched not one but both films and now knew he wanted to go vegan.
„Strange, I could never have imagined that myself,“ said Detlev thoughtfully.

„Actually, almost everyone says that,“ Sabrina explained with a smile, who had to pull herself together not to throw her arms around his neck, but she actually didn’t seem to have been wrong about him, because since he had approached Bakari for the first time was, with so much mindfulness and respect, she was sure he was amenable to the vegan message.
„But it’s not easy,“ he finally said, „I’m standing here and all I know is that I want to do this, but I have no idea how.“
„It’s very simple, you go to the website from the Vegan Society and download the VeGuide app and then you can start your vegan journey. You’ll see, it’s very easy if you want it,“ explained Sabrina, „And of course I’m also at your disposal. So, are we going to eat tonight?”
„Of course, but only in a vegan restaurant,“ Detlev explained in a confident voice, even if he still felt a bit insecure, but then he saw Sabrina’s smile and was sure that he could do it. But first he had to call his mother. She had invited him to dinner on Sunday and he still had to confess to her that he now intends to live vegan. He didn’t want to make an exception right from the start. He was very nervous, because he had no idea how his mother would react, but as soon as he said it, his mother was very pleased. „I’m so glad you said that because now I can justify to your dad that I’m trying this amazing new vegan recipe,“ she said. That had been a lot easier than expected. Now nothing could stand in the way of a successful evening with Sabrina. How glad he was to have met her.