How ‘The Terminator’ Changed John Connor

With “The Terminator” involved, it’s fair enough that this tale starts out as a father-son thing.

My son, Jack, kept needling me to watch a film on Netflix U.K. called “The Game Changers.” My wife had also watched it and heavily backed the suggestion. Both had a knowing gleam in their eye. And just that hint of twinkling laughter in that gleam.

I may be dogmatic, but both know I’m a sucker for well-researched science. The trick would only work if they got me to watch it. Eventually, after equally dogmatic persistence from them, I succumbed.

They had me.

“The Game Changers” is a documentary about athletes who switch to a plant-based diet. It’s extremely well argued. Lots of science.

My son is 23, and over the last few years he has become a vegan. Many of the young people are leading this revolution, as indeed they are concerned with climate change. (As a devout reader of the liberal newspaper The Guardian, I should really refer to this as “climate heating.”)

My wife then became a vegetarian and recently eliminated dairy products from her diet. So, that’s two vegans!

Eek, I’m surrounded. And I may be becoming one now, too.

Not because it’s good for the planet — though it is. I still contend that almond milk isn’t, as it’s highly water-intensive and is one of the crops draining California. Also, hill sheep farming is extracting a use from land where nothing else will.

See, I’ve got some good arguments. But as they are only two, it’s rather a puny fight.

I can’t even use the comedy cliché that vegans have no energy. It is the opposite. In the documentary, “steak-eater” and MMA fighter Conor McGregor lords this cliché over his plant-based opponent at the traditional aggressive weigh-in. Much later, he admits to running out of energy in the fight. His winning opponent, a vegan, doesn’t.

So, that’s a second Conor on the wrong side of the dining table!

OK, what’s this got to do with me? My fighting days, and indeed walking ones, are well over.

It’s that lovely phrase “anti-inflammatory” that a vegan diet promotes — something for which any of us with MS strive.

I’ll miss meat, cheese, fish, and eggs. Especially eggs. To me, eggs are one of the most important food groups. Got a boring frozen pizza? Bake it with an egg on top and you’ve got a tasty treat!

I’d seriously consider egg and chips as my last meal before execution. As we don’t do that sort of malarkey in the U.K., I’d probably need to be in the States. I wouldn’t get what I wanted, though. The chips would have to be sourced from a British fish ‘n’ chips shop, which offers a mixture of soggy crispness that is unique.

So, how does “The Terminator” come into this?

Well, I am John Connor, and Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the stars in “The Game Changers.” (He even throws a touch of “The Terminator” into it.)

When will I get another chance to write such a perfectly entwined headline? It’s worth becoming a vegan just for that.

Luckily, vegan ice cream turns out to be delicious.

I couldn’t live without eggs and ice cream!

Delicious ice cream — but not as we know it! (Photo by John Connor)

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