Friday, October 22, 2010

Darwin's Theory of Evolution

Well, I could talk about the new house that we were forced to move to.  I could talk about how it is infested with bugs, and I have no kitchen. Or a railing on the stairs or upper landing. It's on a dirt road with ruts big enough to swallow cars whole. The dust is everywhere. And for the first week I had to turn on the shower to brush my teeth because there was no working sink in the house.  But no one has threatened us and hopefully it is safer.

But I don't want to talk about that.  Too depressing.  So let's talk about Darwin's Theory of Evolution and how it relates to dogs in Mexico.  If you believe in this theory instead of God as the Almighty creator of heaven and earth, then you believe in survival of the fittest. And it is only the fittest that survive in the dog and cat world of Mexico.  You see, I was feeding Gordy, the skinny dog, until Moose, the fat dog, shoved Gordy out of the way and took over the food bowl.  Gordy took his bony butt and wandered off.  I tried to coax Gordy inside the gate so I could shut it and then he could eat in peace. But, nooooo, not even starvation could tempt Gordy to accept my charity.  And then Moose figured out how to crawl under the gate and wait for her daily ration. I thought about taking Moose with me to the new house, but she shows too much food aggression to be around my Daisy Dog. And she is not starving. 

Darwin, if you are correct, Mexico must be breeding a whole new race of super dogs. Your namby, pamby cousins north of the border wouldn't survive a day on the streets with their dog bowls with names, knitted sweaters, penchant for belly rubs and squeeky toys.   And I won't be feeding any more street dogs.... unless they come in the house and kill a few bugs for me. 

8 comments:

  1. LOL on the "Super Race" TRU DAT!! And not just tough but SMART AS HELL these dogs! They run the streets with drivers who would just soon run them (or a person) over than hit a speed bump and they've TRULY developed some eye's and ears and brains to deal with it! I rarely see dogs hit on the streets here and when I do, hell, it's one out of 3/4 million or so - not bad odds.

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  2. Rita, you need a cat . . . they eat bugs. Hope you're safe. Cindy

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  3. All northern states in Mexico suck, are ugly, dirty, dusty and like wild west, centre is far better, it is civilized. North in Mexico is like central states in the USA and the centre in Mexico is like the east or west coasts.

    I you are going to live in Mexico I strongly suggest to move to a civilized part like Mexico City, Guadalajara, San Miguel Allende, Queretaro, or any other central city. Leave the north.

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  4. Dear Anonymous:

    Are you serious? Comparing the northern states of Mexico to the center of the USA? I raised my sons in Iowa, the area considered the central states. They could go out and play without worrying about gunfire, grenades and automatic weapons. I never saw a drug dealer openly selling drugs on the street corner. Not once did I have people in my home in Iowa and have them rip me off. We may be a little slower paced in Iowa, but I never considered it to be ugly, dirty, dusty or like the wild west. Maybe you're thinking of East St. Louis, the butt-ugly center part of the USA.

    I am planning my escape from Mexico. I've had several people suggest that I move to a different area of Mexico, but there are several considerations. #1 - I have to work for a living and I have a decent job with decent pay, by Mexican standards. #2 - I have a little girl in the same school where I teach. She's been jerked around too many times and is already 2 years behind. She'll be 12 this month and she is in the 4th grade. #3 - The other half has a job too. So uprooting to go to another place in Mexico is not as easy as you would think. Let's hope for a teaching job in Texas and visas for Sergio and Angeles. Besides, as much as I complain, there are many decent, hardworking people in Reynosa and none of them deserve to live in fear. The war has got to stop. Unfortunately, for every dead young man, there are 10 more lined up to take his spot because the money is too irresistible.

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  5. They tell me the dogs are fed chilis so that they have much 'bravado'. If you are an animal person (which you are) it is very easy to get involved with the street dogs, they look so sad and underfed. But a cold heart makes ones life so much easier.

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  6. "Namby pamby" Love it! I adopted a kitten from a street cat here in Cancun and he has been so spoilt that now he wouldn't last a day in the streets.And I just love that all the cats here have some mutant long tails

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  7. I gave up on Darwin's theory after having kids- mothers would have more arms by now.

    I know what you mean about the street dogs- What I hate is that so many people who have dogs- do not spay or nueter their dogs- There are groups that will do it for free I mean come on-

    and stop coming by my house with little puppies and trying to get rid of your brood. It is really sad. Dogs are such great creatures and they are just tossed aside many times.

    I am glad that you are safe in your new house- and do not worry- everything will turn out fine.

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  8. I am genuinely sorry to hear that you and your loved ones were threatened and forced to move from the home that you had so lovingly established. Under the circumstances, I don't think that you could have safely made any other choice and I am glad to hear that you are now moved.

    It is a bitter pill to swallow. I wish you equanimity as you begin again to set up home and hearth. I also wish you patience and perseverance as you deal with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

    It is always difficult for someone living in a free zone to appreciate what it means to live in fear in an occupied territory and, at this time, parts of Mexico are every bit as "occupied" by narconazis as France was by the Nazis in WWII.

    I did the "green card shuffle" for my French husband back in the day and I wonder if you have written to your U.S. senator and congress(wo)man and, quite frankly, the President of the United States, not to mention your U.S. Embassy, about your situation. I'm not being facetious here, or naive. I ended up having to write to my congresswoman and senator regarding my husband's case and it did help spur things along.

    I read your outline of why you would not, could not consider uprooting yourself and your family to move elsewhere in Mexico and I could not agree with you more. There is only so much change people can absorb and your heart seems to be quite shaken up as it is. No point in making it worse.

    I wish you daily safety and long-term success with your projects and goals for the future.

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