REST IN PIECES, MY FRIEND

You might not recognize the name Robert Baker, but millions of chickens do. Mr. Baker, 84, died in North Lansing, NY several months ago. According to TIME magazine, he is the "food scientist credited with inventing the chicken nugget." This news hit me a lot harder than I thought it would. Maybe it's because I worked at McDonald's one summer many years ago, cooking French fries. Maybe it's because I always wanted a chicken as a pet when I was a kid, but my parents said no. Maybe it's because the process of selecting the dipping sauce for my McNuggets (barbecue, mustard, or honey) helped me understand the importance of voting in a democracy. Or maybe his passing just reminded me of how secure I feel whenever I have 3 or 4 McNuggets in my pockets, and know that hunger poses no threat to me.

Whatever the reason for my sense of loss, I want to thank you, Robert Baker. Your name will be remembered, and honored, as long as there are chickens and deep-fat fyers.