If you’ve read the post, “Henry Takes a Ride,” you know that we love our pets. I am happy to report that Henry is on the job, protecting my sister-in-law’s porch and patrolling the yard (Airedales were used to guard airports and other military installations back in World War One). She recently told me that she’s met neighbors she didn’t know she had. At 80 lbs, when Henry barks, people listen.
While we were in Budapest, we read an article in The Budapest Sun by an ex-pat who was remarking on the many Hungarians he’d seen walking their dogs on the streets of the city. BTW: they are allowed on the trams if they have a muzzle on (although we’ve seen many people cheat!) “What’s with Hungarians and their dogs?” he asked.
I’d like to ask the same question, although for a somewhat different reason. You see, we have a DOG in the neighborhood. We first became aware of it on our first night in the apartment. As I said, it’s very quiet during the day– sheltered from the street noise by the interior courtyards and gardens. That’s during the day. At night, this creature begins his rounds. We heard the first bark around 1am. It continued intermittently until dawn, punctuated by an occasional howl. Of course, the barks, yips and snarls ricochet on the walls of the buildings that surround the yard where he patrols. The sound is also amplified by the fact that it’s the still in the middle of the night. Every once in a while, another dog (I think it’s somewhere in my building, but I can’t swear to that) will join in, and then the two of them will amuse themselves by a kind of call-and-response routine. Frankly, I don’t find it funny in the least.
Last night, the dogs began baying earlier than usual. We looked out the bedroom window (of course it would be under that particular window) and saw the creature…it looks like a mix of Rottweiler and Dobermann, approximately the same size as Henry (but far less approachable as far as I am concerned). Bernard wants to go find the dog(s), but I don’t think introducing ourselves will make any difference.
So what do we do? Bernard is not allowed to carry a gun, although I think after several nights in a row, he’s sorely tempted. We haven’t had a chance to approach any of our neighbors. Maybe they don’t hear it because they and the dogs are both Hungarian. Should we call the police? Sleep deprivation can be very debilitating and I think our judgement has been affected.
At home, we would sometimes be awakened suddenly in the night when Henry heard or smelled a critter (we live in the country). This is not something we expected to occur in the middle of Hungary’s second largest city. I cannot continue this blog because I’m too sleepy and tired. So good night for now.
Thanks for tuning in and best regards,
Marcsi
PS: It rained last night. The hound didn’t start until after 5am this morning….it’s amazing what a full night of sleep can do for you. As Billy Crystal would say, “I feel marvelous!”
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