2023-07-24 16:31:34
One of the phrases often preached in my youth was, “Trust is good, control is better.” That’s supposedly from Lenin, as is the even more annoying “Learn, learn, and learn again,” which even made it into my poetry album. As clever as some dogs may be, they don’t orientate themselves on sayings, whether by Lenin, Konrad Lorenz or Martin Rütter, but on instinct or experience. Toni, the dog, which – as reported – kind-hearted animal rights activists brought from a village in the Greek Kargland to people in need in Berlin, already reacts to individual words in the German language, and she may never understand the meaning of the term trust.
Especially since my confidence in the city is crumbling. The green area in the immediate vicinity has lost its charm since people live here who have no stone shelter in the city. From a distance, that’s sad, not a good sign for a rich country. Up close, it’s awkward to unexpectedly witness big business going on in the bushes. Especially since Toni startles when she’s done and I have to bring myself to approach with the poop bag.
From animal welfare? This takes a while
So we head to Hasenheide, where the cobblestone entrance has a pedestrian sign the size of a hulahoo tire painted on it, which often makes us laugh because it doesn’t stop the ambitious kind of cyclist from ringing joggers, kids or dog walkers out of the way. Otherwise it’s peaceful here, the drug customers visit their dealers so discreetly that the anxious dog hardly notices them. Here are the people who know their way around and, like a formula, drop the wordless question “From animal welfare?”, followed by the verb: “Duration.”
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The woman from the animal protection association trained with us a few days ago and gave us the tip to stand in front of the house for a while before the walk so that the anxious dog could develop trust. In fact, neither the cargo bikes rolling on the sidewalk nor the electric scooters attack us, the kindergarten children hop by without even looking at Toni. No wonder, while other dogs walk down a street like a confident model on the catwalk, she perfects the ability to become invisible. Toni is so busy with herself that she doesn’t even notice how the begging homeless person and the garbage can searcher walk by politely nodding.
Worse than the mouse
In the evening I try my arguments again after the dog jumped at my shadow on the sidewalk. Having a shadow is a good sign. And I begin to tell her the story of Peter Schlemihl, gaps in my memory opening up. Control is good, so I want to go to the bookshelf and read up. The dog gets his supper first, the cans are in the closet. I don’t notice how Toni sneaks past me. I don’t register that it was she who knocked over the broom that made two bottles roll noisily. I shriek more embarrassingly than when I met the house mouse. Toni finds that more frightening than bottles and brooms. Trust is gone. I have to learn to control myself.
#connects #Toni #Lenin #trust #dwindles