Saturday was an amazing day. Everywhere I went, people stared. They complimented me. Smiled when they walked by. One woman stopped us while we were shopping for groceries, and asked if she could take my picture. I was more than happy to oblige. Talk about a great day for the ego!
Then again, it wasn’t really me that people were so drawn to. It was my shirt. 
Last week, my parents gave me a couple of belated birthday presents, since they were out of town on the big day. One of them was a red t-shirt that says, You Had Me at Bacon. For some reason, I have a reputation for loving bacon. Truth is, I’m not even sure why. I like bacon just fine, but no more so than the next guy. So I’ve indulged in the occasional maple bacon bar from Voodoo Doughnut. What self-respecting Portlander hasn’t? And, fine, I might have bought a bottle of bacon vodka once. I didn’t even like it all that much, even as a base for Bloody Marys. And okay, sure, there are rumors swirling about that I have eaten chocolate-covered bacon strips. For the record, it was one chocolate-covered bacon strip, no “s” on the end, not plural. Whatever. I also had a chocolate-covered Pringle, but nobody has ever given me a t-shirt that says, You Had Me at Stackable Potato Crisps. So I find it amusing when friends post links to bouquets of bacon roses and bacon cakes and other bacon-related paraphernalia on my Facebook wall. I would sum up my feelings for bacon thusly:
I don’t pine for the swine, but I do think it’s fine.
But yeah, I liked the shirt. I just wasn’t expecting the reaction it generated. We ended up in downtown Portland, strolling through the farmer’s market before heading to the food cart pods for a lunch break, and everywhere we went people commented on my shirt, either directly to me or behind my back as I passed by. They smiled, they pointed, they laughed (with me, not at me, I assume). I have never received so much attention in my life. And I ate it up.
Ironically (or maybe not), I ended up at a food cart called The People’s Pig for lunch. “Did we have you at bacon?” the proprietor asked. I chuckled politely and ordered a porchetta sandwich, which is technically an Italian pork roast, but I suppose it’s close enough to count. And then we were walking by a caramel corn vendor who said, “You look like a guy who would appreciate bacon-topped caramel corn” and, well, suddenly we found ourselves with a small cup of bacon-topped caramel corn, which was admittedly tasty, though we could only manage a few bites.
My shirt, it seems, turned into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
What do you think of bacon? Like it, love it, tolerate it, or loathe it? Have you ever worn an item of clothing that attracted attention?
Related articles
- Machiavelli’s Principle of Bacon (365daysofbacon.wordpress.com)
- ‘It’s got to be crispy’: Woman, 105, says bacon key to longevity (today.com)
Mark Petruska 
Bacon, Yes love it can’t live without it. Don’t eat it often maybe a couple times of month whether its thick cut maple style or back bacon or pea meal bacon. Love it, with eggs for breakfast or in a sandwich you know the wonderful BLT. Sometimes we cook it on the BBQ with eggs for breakfast alfresco on the deck. Yummy, yes, its like camping, but without the outdoor toilets.
On another note If we wear our Canadian hats or shirts when travelling we get comments on them especially in Europe. The Dutch love Canadians.
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I’ve never thought of cooking bacon on the grill. I like the idea…especially when camping. I think I’ll have to try that! Not sure about this “pea meal bacon,” though…
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Pea meal is from great Britain its just a fancier version of Canadian back bacon quite tasty.
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I like bacon. Don’t like how the smell lingers in the house for a couple of days but other than that…
I can’t really say I draw a lot of attention with the clothes I wear but I very seldom wear anything that has writing on it. Unless you count cup size and letter.
I kid, I kid.
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Yeah, 48 hours later the smell has gone from mouth-watering to annoying. It’s why I only cook bacon on windy days when I can open all the windows.
Just kidding. I cook bacon no matter what the weather is like.
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First, HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, MARK!!!!!
Second, I LOVE the shirt!!!!! OMG…I blog with a girl who is literally IN LOVE with bacon, so she would ADORE that shirt. She has everything known to man that has anything to do with bacon: bacon band-aids, bacon candles, bacon refrigerator magnets, bacon EVERYTHING.
And yes, I do love bacon. Especially when it’s real crispy and on a BLT Club Sandwich!
“I don’t pine for the swine, but I do think it’s fine.”
HA! LOVED that!
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Crispy bacon on a BLT is one of my favorite things!
I’ve seen those bacon bandaids. Bacon candles, though? That’s a new one. I think I should get one for Tracy, since she’s so fond of the lingering smell!
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Now that’s a great shirt, Mark! I’m gonna have to get one for Sara. She LOVES the stuff. Makes for a great title, too, doesn’t it? Love it! Tell Tara I said hi!
Hugs,
Kathy
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Yes, as soon as I saw the shirt, I knew I had not only a blog post, but also a blog title all ready to go. Convenient! How’s the Ecuadorian bacon? Have you indulged yet?
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Numnumnumnumnum BACON!
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Yeah. Now I’m craving it!
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Liver with bacon and onions, bacon cheeseburgers, bacon and eggs, green beans satueed in bacon grease, deviled eggs sprinkled with curry and crispy, fried bacon crumbles: all are reasons I will never be able to be a vegetarian. 🙂 MMMmmmm…. bacon.
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You DIDN’T have me at liver…
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