She lives behind walls. Does she ever leave the compound? Does she ever see her own kind or does she only hear them passing or from afar? During the day she is mostly quiet but when night comes she begins barking at the dark. They are inside and oblivious ... eating and socializing. Do they ever glance down at her through the window? Are they are all deaf, even the children, or is her voice and her life nothing to them, no more than background movement like wind in the trees or passing cars ... something to be ignored?
About 20:00 hours she starts barking in her oddly deep voice. By 22:00 she is barking in earnest. Every night without exception she looks into the hedge wall, which is about 14 feet or 4 meters high, and barkbarkbarkbarkbarks then, still barking, walks to the other side of the compound and barkbarkbarkbarkbarks into the hedge wall there then back barkbarkbarkbarkbarking and forth barkbarkbarkbarkbarking, sometimes stopping to barkbarkbarkbarkbark in the middle facing our bedroom window, barkbarkbarkbarkbark...barkbarkbarkbarkbarking back and forth barkbarkbark...barkbarkbarking...barely pausing until at least 02:00 hours and then gradually barkbarkbark slows bark bark down bark ... bark until early dawn.
I don't hate her. I feel very sorry for her. It's her indifferent humans I resent. She is prisoner of their selfishness ... their twisted sense of what ... security, prestige, paranoia? He conducts some kind of isolation therapy in his pool in the summer. People come. He gives them an inflatable wet suit complete with isolation head gear and a breathing apparatus then, as they float on their backs in the middle of his pool, he stands beside them probably crooning some kind of relaxation meditation but, at night, his freaked out, lonely, desperate little dog barkbarkbarks and he offers no comfort at all. He's an asshole and his wife is an asshole and their children will likely grow up to be heartless assholes just like them.
When I complain to my Portuguese friends they just laugh. "Ah Portugal. This is just that way it is." Fuck that. It's animal abuse. It's anti-social. It's fucking stupid. When we first got here I thought I'd never sleep again. Now even I sleep but, for me, it will never be "ah Portugal". I don't see animals as tools and food. I respect them as sentient beings, non-human persons as so many do today. My friends tell me I can report the noise that, if enough people complain, perhaps
the town will do something about it. I haven't done that yet but this
story is not over.
Language itself is a barrier.
6 comments:
If it is Portugal, it is very likely a South African Barkhund, a very popular breed there. This is what they do, the barkbarkbark and the more they bark, the better they are. They're good dogs, Brent. The humans, however, should be fitted with shock collars for when the good dog barks.
That's maddening. Good luck. There was recently a dog living down the hall from my apartment who whimpered in the most pitiful manner--almost continuously whenever its owner was away--I assumed by the hours, at work. Possible the owner was unaware, but I somehow doubt it. I assumed the owner was a sociopathic asshole.
You know Mr. Donut, I have to agree with you. Poor Barkie IS a good dog, it's the humans who are clueless twats. I think shock collars would be quite fitting for them. Barkie barks and they get zapped... barkzapbarkzapbarkzapbarkzapbarkzap...barkzapbarkzapbarkzapbarkzapbarkzap.... Do you think they would finally finally grasp the idea that letting their dog bark outside for fucking hours every night is not such a great idea?
Thanks, Roy. And sorry about the crying dog. There are so many left alone like that. It's really sad. Looking back, I see know I was not a good dog mom myself. I left Molly alone for hours on a regular basis. At the time I didn't realize how selfish I was being but I like to think I've learned a bit since then. I cringe now when I think about it. I'd really like to have a dog again someday and do it right.
You left Nevada for Portugal? Good move.
Yes though we will visit family in the US on a regular basis.
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