Gringo

 gringo

Funny thing about getting older:

Your eyesights starts getting weaker but your ability to see through people's bullshit gets much better.

Gringo is my dog. Yesterday he turned 5 months old. The little drifter. I mentioned him before, along with his dear mama, whose name is Jimmy. Before I continue writing, I have to explain what gringo means and where this name comes from. In Mexico proper, "Gringo" can have a derogatory, or casual/ non pejorative meaning depending on the context of which it is delivered. "Gabacho" has more insulting connotations. A commonly held myth within the environs of Mexico itself is that the origin of "Gringo" was an allusion as to the US Army under the commands of generals Taylor/Scott fielding green colored uniforms, hence the "Green-Go!!!" silliness. (This is utter rubbish, as any serious student of the Mexican-American War knows that it was the color blue, and remained so till khaki, and later, onward thence to green, replaced it many decades later. A popular song commonly sung by the intrepid American troops, whilst they marched along was, "Green Grow the Rushes," these words being repeated (refrained) throughout the song, "Green grow,..etc," being taken by (the then ) contemporary Mexican ear as "gringo." (The most "likely" origin...) In other regions, apart from Mexico itself, it basically refers to any "European looking" individual.

"Mira a los pinche Gringos de mierda! Como es posible se ganan cada batalla, aunque se tienen erjecitos tan pequeno!?!" "Look at those damned shit Gringos! How is it possible they win every battle, when they have armies so small!?!" (Outnumbered 2-3 to one in every major battle of the 1846-1848 war, when facing an actual standing army... Buena Vista, Chepaltepec, etc...) (by Rule Britannia! )

If you want the world to stay the way it is, you don't want it to stay the way it is. (Erich Fried)

Why did we, my wife and I, give him the name Gringo? The answer ist quite easy. My wife loves watching these Mexican soups, which are called "gringos". That is certainly the main reason, who can or dares to refuse their wife something? "Gringo" in the broadest sense can also be interpreted as "white", and gringo is a white!

I wanted to call him Desperado, meaning outlaw, that would suit him better. My wife came, looked deep into my eyes, then asked very kindly: "You really want to call him Desparado?"

A chill ran down my spine. "Of course not! Gringo is much prettier!"

I got out of there with my life again. Admittedly, it was very close!

Before I continue to write, I have to tell the story of Jimmy, Gringo's mom, as far as I know her.

Jimmy was my wife's grandma's dog. Grandma had died 3 years ago, the dog was ownerless, nobody wanted him. A man then took him, not because he had a heart for animals, his consideration was quite simple: she's a female, she gives birth to young ones, I can sell them, I'll get enough money to get drunk one day . And so it happened.

My wife, without me at the time, was walking by his home where Jimmy, that poor dog, was chained. That's how they got in touch. It should not be concealed here that Jimmy and my wife had and still have a very close relationship.

Then one day I came. No big deal for Jimmy. I can still remember well, I was walking next to my wife when Jimmy came running. First he greeted my wife, then he sniffed at me.

"This is Karl!" she explained to Jimmy, pointing at me, "and this is Jimmy" she explained to me.

"Hello!" I said to Jimmy.

He also had his head cracked.

That was our first meeting.

Somehow it turned out differently than expected. One day Jimmy didn't leave, he stayed close to us. In the evening, when we went to bed, we locked the door, there he was, in the morning, when we unlocked the door, he was there. What was left, we gave him food. He didn't go away! When we went shopping, he was with us. Always and everywhere he was there. There's only one place he doesn't go and that's the village. Perhaps I should mention that someone cut him across the muzzle with a machete, leaving an ugly scar to this day.

As already mentioned, Jimmy was and is inseparable from both of us.

It came as it had to come, Jimmy got pregnant! As soon as we realized it, we started feeding him. Jimmy's owner was fine with that, why not? No work and the money for the babies would come! After all, that's the most important thing!

Eventually Jimmy's owner came and got him, he kettled him, but nothing stopped Jimmy! The next day he was with us again.

One fine day Jimmy was digging a pit, so we knew delivery day was coming soon. Two days later say Jimmy in his pit, he was whining. I went to him, he raised his head, looked at me. I stroked his head but his eyes said mur leave me alone! I went away again. You shouldn't stay where you're not wanted.

An hour later. My wife is screaming. I run to her. "What's happening?"

"The first baby is here!"

It was a very adorable baby. Six more followed in the next few hours. Jimmy lovingly took care of the boys. I brought Jimmy something to eat, but he must have been too exhausted to eat.

The place was well chosen, but relatively bad in the rain. Something had to be done! We built him a rain shelter. That wasn't the only thing, we couldn't leave the babies on the cold floor. We got sawdust. So we climbed into his house, took the babies out of the pit, poured sawdust in, put the babies back in. Jimmy watched us intrigued. He growled a little, we were lucky. Not everyone was allowed to come near his children, he "ate" some of them! That's how it is with mothers.

The next few weeks were exhausting for us grandparents, but we made it. Unfortunately a baby died, it was a great loss. So life is!

One by one the children left. We only kept one, this gringo. The white man, that mzungu, that good-for-nothing! As already mentioned, Gringo is now 5 months old. He's a real rascal. My wife won't let him into the house, he knows that too, he stops at the door frame, doesn't go any further, as soon as he sees my wife, if she's not there, he comes to me, greets me or he lies down on the sofa. Sometimes my wife comes back, sees him, takes a stick and jumps on him, then he saves himself under my legs, waits for a good opportunity and then disappears.

Jimmy and Gringo have now become good security guards. There is nothing better! You are unmatched!

Jimmy bites like a bloodhound! Whoever he doesn't know, he frisson up. People here are surprised, because that's not normal. Not for a dog! One said that the mzungu, i.e. me, gives him something he's never had before. I have to agree. I gave him what I can give to a living being: love and respect.

Once the owner came back, he wanted to get Jimmy, but he ate it right away. So he's still there. He won't go away! He belongs to us! We, my wife and I, were adopted by him. That's how we feel too.

Now Gringo lies on the armchair in the sun and takes a nap.

You have to be a dog!

Mambo yamejipa yaani BANG!

Muda wa kupumzika umefika umecome again,

Ndio maana watu wanashine,

Ndio maana kila kona nayopita watu ni wengi,

Ukidelay utapotea,

Mtoto anajiachia kama ameshapata mmea,

Kwenye bo body yake mindo sarveyer,mzeiya

Nazidisha miguso anadai (endelea)

sa naona club haifai,

Hata washkaji wangu nishawaambia bye

Mtoto ashalalia bega mi naride

Namuuliza anataka nini kwangu

BED AND BREAKFAST,