Logicless Logic

doggone.

You know how in cartoons, pet impounding people are often portrayed as big, bumbling, unfriendly people. There is a reason for all this. It's probably because it's true. Maybe if you had met them off the job, they might have been a nice guy whom you might have had a nice pub chat with. On the job however, the cartoons are 99.8% accurate.

I'm probably biased however, because one of the black Labradors(I think it's a lab at least) was captured by the pound people.(personally I have nothing for yappy little dogs but this one was rather big, jet black and pretty damn quiet) The dog was a welcome presence in our workshop and probably all of the camp. It was by no means harmful or irritating. In fact, it's worst fault was probably being too friendly to the point that it didn't run away when the "bad people" came along. He was so friendly that he would lope around at the shuttle bus stop when people were waiting for the bus and lie around at the sentry post during guard duty. Which made leashing the dog seem extremely cruel.

Ironically, less than 20 minutes ago, I was playing with it at the parade square with a camp mate. It was just bad timing, or I probably would have discussed matters with the "bad people". The way he milked for attention from the people was probably even better than most house trained dogs. When petted, he would automatically roll over on its back and bask in all the attention everyone was showering on him. What made me have my own connection with this dog was when he "led" me and my prowling partner around the camp, stopping and waiting whenever he went too far.

Even though I was 4 storeys high when I saw the thing happen, I swear I could see in his eyes how the dog could not bear to leave this camp, despite all its faults. I mean, it's probably the case since this was the place he has known all his life, where there are people who feed him and play with him. And when he's been caught he's probably going to be put down. Which I feel is a pretty undignified ending for this stray which probably wasn't really a stray per se. He was probably everyone's dog and by taking him away from everyone, the impound people are probably pretty nasty.

This is my own tribute for him and though probably noone else will know and care, I hope that at the time he departs from this life and carries on into the next, he will have fond memories of his life in camp.

justin.

posted by justin @ 10:16 PM