Sunday, January 27, 2008

No more policing

It doesn’t happen very often.
In fact, it has never happened before.
But yesterday Alfredo was rather nasty.
Saying not very nice things.

The issue was this.
Three weeks ago, arriving at Punta Boca del Salado, a 20-kilo (44 pounds) bag of dog food was hauled along.
Every day two to three dogs got food from this supply.
The bag is almost empty now.

It was learned that Alfredo is going to town the next day.
Kindly he was asked to buy and bring a new bag of dog food.

This made him explode.
It was of nobody’s business.
The temporary caretaker of the dogs lived in his camper and had his business there and he, Alfredo, lived at his rancho and everything there was his business.
And he knew somebody who would like to adopt his dogs and if he was bothered more about feeding his dogs he would bring them to that person.

Hey, Alfredo, relax!
It is just a simple question.
There is no more dog food.
You go to town and could buy a bag.
It is only normal you buy food for your own dogs!

This made him explode a second time.
As he had not much ammunition to defend himself, he only was repeating his remarks.

Alfredo is having a difficult time again.
He has been married three times and has children with several women.
For the last year he had a new fiancé.
But this relationship has also come into stormy weather.
It was noticed over the last three weeks that he was not going to see his fiancé anymore and was in a rather bad and depressed mood.
His idea had been to build a new house on a piece of land he has nearby and settle there with her.
That dream seems to be over and at his age, 56, that is not an encouraging experience in life.

The argument about the food for his dogs took place in front of his visiting sister Bertha and her fisherman husband Leonardo.
The sister who is partly owner of the rancho where Alfredo now lives and works.
And who doesn’t allow her brother to live there with his fiancé.
The remark to Alfredo to buy dog food in front of this critical and strong-minded sister, revealing that he had not been taking care of his dogs in the past, was hurting his reputation and ego.

The disastrous course of his current relationship and the presence of his sister and brother in law might explain Alfredo’s sensibility.

After this event a walk was made with the terrible dog Gorba, still waiting to be liberated from his chain to be transported to a goat free rancho.
Thoughts were racing through the mind.
Why bother with Alfredo’s dogs to begin with?
Why buy food for them and take care of them, even walk them when Alfredo, as a result, is nasty?

This is a realistic and logical option.
To conclude that if Alfredo has no appreciation, let him have his dogs, as he likes it.
To move on with the happy life without sharing his tears about a failed fiancé and all his other complex contractions of his existence.

However, the dogs are going to be the victim of this choice.
Alfredo doesn’t give a damn if they are hungry or thirsty.
He leaves them without food and water for days.

Although the dogs suffer, it is only Alfredo’s business.
Even his own brother and his family, living next door, do not interfere in Alfredo’s canine policy.
They are not lecturing Alfredo although they know very well his cruel attitude.

In the end, the nomadic photographer is only a guest at Punta Boca del Salado.
And a guest has no privileges to interfere in the personal lives of the friends visited.
A visitor must know his place and act in a respectful way.

It is remembered how a fellow traveller used to spend winters with a family.
And interfered deeply in the lives of his friends.
Resulting in not being welcome anymore.
And rightly so.

Alfredo must have it his way.
The photographer is neither a policeman nor a reverend.
It is unfortunate for the dogs, but life must have its course including animals.
Taking care of the dogs is not a duty of the visitor anymore.
Alfredo will notice this eventually.
And maybe that will make him think.


Meanwhile a thing happened at the other side of the spectrum.
Antonio, the son of Christina, had his birthday.
He got a racetrack he will build and operate together with his Dad.
Who is a policeman.












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