The Knife, the Coat, and the Book

As a child I had a fixation with knights.  I viewed them as manly, capable, and working for the good; I wanted to do what they did.  Also, I loved the uniform and the tools of the trade - armor, swords, and a holy book.  They have a mission, and the roles are clear - ally with the good, purge the bad, and do right by the ladies.

At about year seven in my cooking career, I realized that I had arrived, in a roundabout way, at this goal.

I'm wearing a white coat to ward off the flames, using sharp steel to cut huge monsters down to size, and poring over arcane texts to learn the secrets of the holy alchemy we call cooking.

Sure, the flames are gas, and the monsters are Halibuts (which can grow to 400 pounds), and the secrets are "how to use roux" as opposed to "Whom does the Grail serve?"  However, you see how the symbols line up.  And hey, I'm battling against hunger, and facing my own inner demons in the name of Service to Others.

I have a feeling that there are some of you out there who might have fun looking at your own profession in symbolic terms.  Maybe you ARE living some dream of your childhood but don't know it.  Or maybe you are doing work that has a great historical legacy you might be interested in aligning with.

Tell me what you see.

And always remember to do right by the ladies (and your other co-workers.)