Please bear with me as I give a little history for this story:
Anybody who knows me knows that I am crazy about my dog... and just about anyone who meets my dog Trixie agrees that she is a great dog! It was almost exactly 5 years ago that she was an eight week old puppy and I was able to put her in a carrier under my seat on the flight up from my mom's house in Bradenton, Florida, to my condo in Virginia. She has been a great companion and was such a joyful gift after I unexpectedly lost my first dog, Bonnie, to an inoperable brain tumor at only eleven and 1/2 years the previous January.
Fast forward to today where we are living in the UAE after she had an even longer plane ride (including a layover at a doggie hotel in Amsterdam) two years ago at Christmas time. My sister looked after her for four whole months while I got somewhat settled in Abu Dhabi but finally I was able to bring her over. Trixie had to fly cargo this time and I was a nervous wreck waiting to pick her up in customs, but once she got off the airplane it is amazing how well she adjusted to life over here!
So tonight was one of those nights when I realized again what a gift she really is to me as I took her out walking before the sun went down. One of the neighborhood boys was riding his bike and I wish I would have had my camera to take his picture - what a cutie! Dogs are still quite a novelty over here as traditionally they are considered "haram" or forbidden. This goes all the way back to Old Testament days when dogs were considered unclean. Many times the kids are a bit frightened and not sure how to react to her and this boy was no exception. He was making teasing, barking noises at her which really kind of annoyed me initially. But then I realized he just wanted to come over and say "hello" and so I let him come over and pet her. We had a good conversation in which he asked me a few questions. Many times the question is, "How much does she cost?" The Emiratis can afford just about anything they want so naturally they consider buying one for themselves. Patiently I explained that she is not for sale and that she was a gift to me! By that point a few other children had gathered around so they all took turns petting her. An elderly gentleman came out with his housemaids and the children and they all smiled and laughed as the kids said hello.
This is rather typical of the kind of reaction we get around town. In general, she creates happiness and although I know I shouldn't do it, I sometimes let her sit with me while I am driving and that also creates much smiling as she does make a funny sight and also because we drive around in a cute little red Fiat! So there is much fun involved in bringing her out, especially now that the weather is good here.
That's why I was so surprised one night a few weeks ago when we got a very negative and angry reaction from an older man when walking in another part of the city. Trixie was close by my side and not causing any trouble at all and I was with my two friends. We were all polite and minding our own business and I must have said hello. That's when the man pointed at Trixie's ears (she had just been to the groomer and they do kind of stick out after she has been groomed.) At any rate, he pointed at her ears, looked at her and grumbled very loudly, "Obama!" Wow! At first we weren't sure we had heard him correctly, excuse me? "Obama!" That's when it became clear that he wasn't being friendly and that he was slurring not only my dog but the president of my country. An unusual and somewhat disturbing interaction, but not dangerous in any way... just kind of strange.
Still I couldn't quite let it go and was trying to think why he would be so negative when clearly we were just innocently walking and Trixie is so utterly harmless. However, it must've been the next day that I was reading the report in the U.S. news about the drone attack in Yemen that killed an innocent caravan of men, women and children on their way to a wedding. I believe the report said at least six had been killed. The more I thought about it, the more I was convinced that the old man we encountered was probably from Yemen, as he wore the beard and a cap that is traditional for them. Why of course he called my dog, "Obama!" How else could he possibly express the disgust and outrage he was feeling with this terrible and despicable attack? If my theory is correct, I wish that I could have explained to him that I too am horrified and outraged by this cowardly behavior on the part of my government and how deeply saddened and ashamed I am by it. For better or worse right now, I am an emissary for America in the Middle East just by virtue of the fact that I live here and these are my neighbors.
The UAE is a peaceful place in a region of the world where peace is priceless. We live in tolerance with the many differences we encounter and the variety of eccentrics who come to work here. But if we Americans want to gain friends and influence people, the way to do it is not with drones that misfire on wedding parties. We have to start thinking of everyone as our neighbors, even though it might seem like Yemen is a long way from home.
Wishing much peace to all of you in this New Year!
Love,
Chris and Trixie
