You Mean The Weekend's Over?

An alternative title could be: This Side of Sunstroke.

Just saying...

I can't believe the weekend's over. Yesterday, I worked. I transcribed all of two interviews and felt very virtuous as a result. Transcribing is the heavy work. Actually figuring out what I'm going to use is the smart work. Seems like I'm doing all the heavy work and none of the smart work.

Yet.

So today, I hit the ground running and after running around erranding, I went to see my main man. I didn't go to see him yesterday, so he was lying slumped in the corner looking sad and didn't come out when I opened up his cage and called him. The Indian helper guy wanted to haul him out (I think he's pretty rough with Arnold) but I said no. So I sat at the edge of his cage and coaxed him until he came out.

He's a gooboy my Arnold is.



Anyways, since I didn't spend any time at all with him yesterday and since it WAS Sunday and since I was kinda planning on going to Batu Arang to look around and take some shots, I thought I'd take Arnold along for the ride. Spend some quality time so to speak.

The trip there was OK. Although confused and unable to get comfortable in the backseat (he tried out a variety of different positions, on the seat, off the seat, between my seat and the door, he was basically good on the way there. (See why I think he used to be somebody's dog? Our dogs who have been with us since they were puppies are extremely badly behaved in cars)

Anyways, so I found my way to Batu Arang without directions (adventure, adventure), parked outside the tiny medical centre, gave Arnold some water, and then hauled him off for a long walk. He pulled me here and there, pooped and peed, stared at the other strays who were lounging in the roundabout. Now here's one way to tell that Batu Arang is a sleepy town. The strays eyed him and did nothing. They didn't even bark. Whereas when I take him for a walk near the vet hospital, those dogs go crazy, screaming the place down, baying for blood.

So we walked, looked at the large chimmeys scattered on this overgrown piece of land (apparently all that's left of a brick factory). A toothless old dude who came creaking along on his bicycle said my anjing (dog) was cantik (pretty). Although he was half blind and definitely gaga, I preened at the compliment. (Arnold, in his body harness, did not pay him no mind).

So we walked, I snapped (not very good) pictures of this, that and the other, wondering which, if any, Gurmeet would accept for my travel piece.

And then the heat got to me. Although I was in my Nat Geog (never leave home without it) cap, I couldn't take it anymore. Arnold was hot too. He leaned over into a drain and started lapping away.



And I let him. Wishing I could do the same. But there was some mineral water left in the car and I had brought my bowl for strays, which means that we could both share.

Anyways, he lapped up all the water in his bowl and it was time to go. This time though young Arnold did not behave quite as well. I loaded him into the backseat, got into the front and put on my seatbelt. He stared at me through the gap in the two front seats and decided he wasn't going to be relegated to the back. No siree, not he.

So he scrambled to the front, checked out the co-driver seat, decided it was not good enough and proceeded to stretch himself on my lap. With his little paws digging into my right forearm. And that's where he remained for the rest of the drive.

Made it kind of awkward to drive, what with not knowing the roads, what with it being the long and windy estate-type roads, but generally he kept still, except when he dug his claws into me to get leverage to look out the window. He was a contented little pooch, and clearly thought I was taking him home (poor thing, I did want to).

He remained calm and quiet until we got onto Jalan Gasing. Now, he had only seen these same roads driving out (that was once) but somehow he recognised them. He started scrambling all over me and whining, stepping on the power window switch, which sent the windows down, alarming the shit out of me (he could have jumped out). How on earth did he recognise the road? Anyway, I yelled at him and made him sit still and put the windows up again. He settled on my lap once more, no more a contented doggie.

Luckily when we got back to the vet hospital it was feeding time (Arnold likes his food) so I was able to get him into his cage and watch the Indian dude feed him. He gave Arnold dry biscuits without the meaty dog food but as I had stayed to watch, he pulled out Arnold's bowl and put the soft stuff in. I think he doesn't bother to look after him properly cos little Arnie is a stray, not like the pedigree dogs occupying the other cages. Should make no difference because I pay the same amount. I don't think I like him very much.

The other guy there, Francis, told me that Arnold was a very intelligent dog. He seemed to like him a bit better.

I had texted Salehin earlier to ask him for help. He said send pictures. I came home and did just that. Now I've got to sit tight and keep my fingers crossed. I have to go back to JB at the end of this week and I'll be away for at least a week. I want to find him a home before that.

Anyone?