Another column from weekly contributor, Daft Old Duffer. Ed
The way things are going sooner or later either you or one of your descendants will find themselves with Muslim neighbours.
Almost certainly you will discover them to be polite, friendly, gentle. And you and yours will want to be friendly with them.
But there will be obstacles to overcome. Obstacles not necessarily of religious beliefs but of everyday customs and habits. It is one of these I write about here. One that will raise the hackles of many. I suggest however that you resist the temptation to go red about the ears and hurl bricks through windows and instead give it some serious thought.
It’s about dogs
Like most of you reading this, I like dogs. A lot. In fact if circumstances were different I would be the proud owner of at least one of those shetland-pony sized hunting dogs with a name like Schopenhoppafreudelhund. Or something.
Instead of which, I share my one-bedroomy with a goldfish name of Clarence, who doesn’t require walkies. Or indeed poopies, as far as I can tell.
So when I’m out for a stroll I find it hard not to make a fool of myself over any canines that come by. In fact if their owner isn’t too close I frequently indulge myself with a little chat as it passes.
I was as incensed as many of you were therefore, at news that Muslim bus and taxi drivers on the Other Island would not allow dogs on their vehicles. Not even guide dogs.
All the usual resentments surfaced. ‘Who do they think they are,trying to impose their religious biogotry on us?’ ‘If they don’t like the way we do things,why don’t they go back where they came from?’. Etc,etc.
And yet ….
I worked for a while in one of the first pubs on the Island to ban dogs from the area where food was served. I remember the resultant indignation of many customers and how they vowed never to return. Indeed I formed the firm impression at the time that whilst many of them were quite content to let their children sit in the car for an hour or two, they wouldn’t dream of imposing such neglect on their dear little poochy-woochy.
I remember how we used to enjoy the sight of our tail-wagging companions and then curse as we trod into one of their pavement droppings. I remember the uproar when the law was enforced that owners must clear up the mess. And the anger – still ongoing – over the banning of dogs from beaches at least during the holiday season.
Let’s face it, we were all, myself included, quite prepared to let junior frolic and build sandcastles where Rover had recently defecated.
A few steps ahead
Much of that has stopped and I think most of us are grateful now we’ve grown accustomed to the idea. But we still let our pooch lick his unmentionables and poke his sniffer deep into other animals bums, before going on to lick the faces of ourselves and our kids.
Perhaps our Muslim neighbours are not so ridiculously bigoted after all. Perhaps they are just a few steps ahead.
Image: Spencer341b under CC BY 2.0
