"Dog war
inna Matthews Lane
you can’t go deh"
- Old Jamaican Mento Song
Okay girls and boys today's report is not about old Mento songs from our country's golden era...many of you might be too young to know this song perhaps because it was way "before" your time or the "English-ish" writing of the lyrics are a little confusing since the song was sung in Patois or...as we say Patwa... It would be something like "Dawg War inna Matches Lane yuh kaaan go deh"-- but there is no standardized way to write patois, as far as I know, so that is that.
Seeing as you are all bright individuals you should see where my story is heading based on the song and the subject line.
Now this morning, very, very early I was awakened from my lovely sleep by the barking of the immediate neighbour's dogs...soon I recognized Rusty's 1/2 bark 1/2 howl (he is my dog)....then the other dogs on the road joined in the chorus...What is going on? Could there be a thief in the area? The simple bark of the neighbours dogs then changed to a really deep, long growl... you know the RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR...pause....GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR sound -- you know that same sound just before they launch into a full attack. The buildup went on for a minute or two. The way I figured is that there was an invading dog or couple of dogs who had a score to settle with a dog or dogs on my avenue!
you can’t go deh"
- Old Jamaican Mento Song
Okay girls and boys today's report is not about old Mento songs from our country's golden era...many of you might be too young to know this song perhaps because it was way "before" your time or the "English-ish" writing of the lyrics are a little confusing since the song was sung in Patois or...as we say Patwa... It would be something like "Dawg War inna Matches Lane yuh kaaan go deh"-- but there is no standardized way to write patois, as far as I know, so that is that.
Seeing as you are all bright individuals you should see where my story is heading based on the song and the subject line.
Now this morning, very, very early I was awakened from my lovely sleep by the barking of the immediate neighbour's dogs...soon I recognized Rusty's 1/2 bark 1/2 howl (he is my dog)....then the other dogs on the road joined in the chorus...What is going on? Could there be a thief in the area? The simple bark of the neighbours dogs then changed to a really deep, long growl... you know the RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR...pause....GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR sound -- you know that same sound just before they launch into a full attack. The buildup went on for a minute or two. The way I figured is that there was an invading dog or couple of dogs who had a score to settle with a dog or dogs on my avenue!
Soon they were tired of the touting "GGGGRRRRRRRRRR" and with the
other dogs egging them on (from behind the safety of their gates), decided to
get it on in earnest... I know this cause I heard them go at each other,
banging on the gate and knocking over whatever was in the way – garbage cans,
flower pot(s) ...old bottles…this was a WAR!!!
The way I figured somebody, sorry some dog, was getting his tail beaten or bitten ‘cause I heard the yelp...'aroooooo, arooooo, arroooo, arroooooooooooo" followed by some more growls and snarls (insert the appropriate effects here as I don’t know how to spell those). The other dogs went nuts!!!!
I don’t know if
they were upset because they could not get out to join in the melee. Or are they
vexed because they had made some bets and the one they bet on got beaten???!!!
Where did the dog(s) come from? What was this, a turf war? Is this a grudge
fight over a bitch? Was it worth it??!!
After about ten minutes the barking, snarling, growling, yelping quieted down--- silence... Of course, after that all out war I could not sleep...adrenaline pumping, curiosity killing me...would I wake up and find a critically wounded or dead mutt at my gate, on my sidewalk or did he manage to limp
back from whence he came? In any event my sleep was disrupted. I have had a headache since then.
Now even though I feel like a complete wreck I must muster the strength to get up and get started with my daily chores! Today, I think I am going to make hominy corn porridge with some fried dumplings and some salt fish…that should compensate for the lack of sleep or it might send me back to bed…
After about ten minutes the barking, snarling, growling, yelping quieted down--- silence... Of course, after that all out war I could not sleep...adrenaline pumping, curiosity killing me...would I wake up and find a critically wounded or dead mutt at my gate, on my sidewalk or did he manage to limp
back from whence he came? In any event my sleep was disrupted. I have had a headache since then.
Now even though I feel like a complete wreck I must muster the strength to get up and get started with my daily chores! Today, I think I am going to make hominy corn porridge with some fried dumplings and some salt fish…that should compensate for the lack of sleep or it might send me back to bed…
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