What am I, chopped liver?

Apparently, yes, I am. One of my tiny three year old students has been afraid of me for a few weeks. When things were going better this time, I overheard her say to herself, "What am I, chopped liver?"

"What? Who says that?," I asked.

"Chopped liver. My sister says that. She says you are chopped liver!" Her sister is six, and I've taught her since she was three.

"I'm not chopped liver!," I say as I continue behaving like a dinosaur at a roller-skating birthday party for the rest of the class.

"No, you're not. You're silly!"

Thank heavens. I much prefer being silly to being chopped liver. I wish I could see how this tiny girl envisioned chopped liver. It does sound awfully scary.

According to Ask the Rabbi:

As far as I know, the origins of the phrase are not Yiddish; I believe the phrase was originally coined in America. Being that chopped liver was always considered a side dish and not a main course, the phrase is used to express hurt and amazement when a person feels he has been overlooked and treated just like a "side dish."

I think creamed turnips are even scarier, myself.