Hello. Let me introduce myself. My name is Reggie and I am the luckiest and happiest dog in the world. Please read my story and find out why I am saying this.
So here I am in Canada with my foster parents. I am finally starting to feel good about myself. I still have many bad dreams about how I was treated on the streets and how my master Anwar was taken away from me by the army and executed for simply being critical of the Egyptian government. But I can not change what has already happened. If I keep thinking about these things it will be like chasing my tail and running around in circles. Although I can accept what has happened to me I know always worrying about it and judging it will make me unhappy. Perhaps one day I can forgive those who harmed my life.
I have forgiven the Rottenwhiler who attacked and injured me in Cairo as I was the one trying to steal food from his bowl. But when you are as hungry as I was you can get desperate. Strangely if that big dog had not bitten me I never would have ended up in the pet hospital which made it possible to leave Egypt and come to Canada. Although I am still so frightened by the attack when I see a big dog I lose my temper and growl and bark at most big dogs. Anthony and Susan are not angered by my bad manners as they know my history. I am not really bad mannered but very frightened by this experience. After watching a BBC documentary with Anwar on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder of soldiers in the British army I think this is what is happening in my mind.
I am now starting to forgive the Egyptian people for how badly they treated me. They have little compassion for street dogs because they have no tradition of loving and caring for pets but do they have to poison and shoot street dogs? They are slaves to their feelings as for almost all they do not know the concept and joy of having a pet. I would hope that time and education will help them like dogs and treat them better.
From what I have seen in Canada is that people love and care for their dogs but I am sure not all pets are loved and cared for. I hear there are “puppy mills” where puppies are bred and kept in horrible conditions. At least I could run free in the streets.
So I find myself under the care and control of my foster parents and hope my luck has started to change for the better. I am in a strange country so I am a bit frightened as everything is so strange but I am an Egyptian street dog. I am tough and resilient and proud. I am going to show all these Canadians just how good Reggie the Egyptian street dog can be! I do this for myself, Anwar and all the street dogs in Egypt.
Montenez pieced the situation as he knew it and was appalled with these half baked idiots. Quite frankly the Quebecois had often received the rotten end of the stick. The Toronto-American Family Compact usually skimmed off the cream in Quebec. Perhaps he could help by doing something to stop these deranged jackals. He could slap down that Toronto arrogance which ruled and snubbed the rest of Canada. He could rush them with impunity due to his immortal status but a bullet or two piercing the fuselage could cause depressurization of the cabin with disastrous results. If he was going do anything it was when the airplane had landed. He sat back and waited for touchdown. One of the faces looked familiar as if he had seen it on the telescreen back on Zortixia but no that simply couldn’t be.
The airplane landed without incident at Malton. Montenez wondered how he would deal with these thugs. Knowing little about Canadian jurisprudence he thought if this had happened in Greece they would have been executed. The moment of confrontation arrived when the doors to the plane opened and the security forces greeted the hijackers with smiles and slaps on the back! But they quickly reversed their attitude when the press surged into the arrivals area awaiting the arrival of the hijackers. The hijackers realized they had a national audience and with a wink and nod from the Mountipee Intelligence Unit the hijackers spewed out their venom after the Mountipee’s had snuck out the back door of the plane.
Montenez seized the moment and with Greek Godlike speed he whizzed past the stunned passengers knocking the three hijackers out of the plane to the tarmac below. The Mountipees and the rest of the country were shocked to see Canadian unity receiving such a blow from most likely some foreigner. Just wait until that cheeky bastard tried to clear immigration and customs! Ontario passengers were furious and started to pummel Montenez. Quebec passengers stormed the Ontarians and pushed the lot of them around the hijackers out to the tarmac below. The stunned co-pilot, who had been watching this insane episode ran to the door and slammed it shut. It was time to get out of Hogtown so the plane roared down the runway heading to the safe haven of Montreal. After a 50-minute flight the plane landed at Dorval Airport to a huge throng of cheering spectators and Montenez was hoisted on the shoulders of some passengers as a new hero of Quebec even though he wasn’t a Quebecker. After many handshakes and kisses from beautiful girls he was whisked to the VIP Lounge for a brief address to the waiting media. Montenez spoke, “Ladies and Gentlemen my purpose of visiting this province was to visit a dear friend of mine. I suppose you are curious to hear my side of the story. I boarded the plane in Athens and all proceeded as normal until after dinner where a group of three men from Ontario hijacked the airplane and announced our destination was to be Toronto. These men weened with idiocy ruined a perfect flight except of course for the horrid chicken dinner. No one was hurt except a few Quebec ladies were subject to anti-French jokes. When the plane landed rather than being arrested by security forces the hijackers were greeted as heroes and were not prepared to take appropriate actions so I pushed them and their admirers off the plane. The remaining Ontario residents on the flight began pummelling me and I threw them off the plane with the help of the Quebec passengers. These men took great pains to insult the province of Quebec and were under the impression there was a mutant-Marxist cabal trying to take over Quebec. I know little about politics here although it seems by today’s events I am learning quickly, so I will leave you to digest what happened.”
Montenez was basking in the hot summer sun of Samos, Greece. He contemplated his life on earth. He recalled having promised himself and the Greek Gods he would help the febrile human race however he had little to show for this. Surely he could do better. Of course things were not going particularly well in Greece as Yero Pornodopolus a colonel in the Greek military and his cronies held Greece under their iron fists. There were numerous beatings, torturing’s and “disappearances” but many Greeks feigned ignorance except for a handful of intellectuals who if criticizing the military dictatorship they ended up in military prisons in remote Aegean islands.
Montenez had joined them in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki but the military had responded to them by gunning them down with machine guns supplied by the American government.
Montenez fled Samos, a virtual cesspool of political ignorance which would rather feed off the rickety old Dutch and German tourists than think about democracy. Montenez received a telegram from Dr. Zodiac that read,
“Dearest Will: Interesting chain of events happening in Montreal. Guardian of Bertie Foonbean, Squid, waging a mighty political struggle. Should meet him. Greeks here in potential big trouble. Do you remember the anti-Greek riots in Toronto in the 1950’s? Have reserved suite for you at the Ritz Marlton Hotel on Sherbrooke Street. Best Wishes. Dr. Zodiac.”:
Thank God finally a chance for some action Montenez thought. Montenez packed his bags and rushed off to catch the 14:27 flight from Samos to Athens and then connected to the Olympic Airways flight to Montreal. These Earthling transportation devices were so slow compared to the transportation devices in Zortixia. Well he sat in his first class seat sipping ouzo and munching octopus. He was looking forward to meeting this Squid..a man of action. He had heard of his exploits in Columbia and Nicaragua.
What a jolly chap this Squid must be! Dinner was served and despite being in first class the chicken was plastic and the carrots were wilted and soggy. It made one feel like sticking to the Japanese single malt whisky. After the culinary insult more Japanese whisky.
Then from nowhere three men jumped into the aisles brandishing Cuban Pepito pistols and Ugandan grenades loudly ordering everyone to stay where they were. Montenez thought they were Greeks protesting the military rule in Greece as dinner was bad but not enough to prompt violence. They informed several passengers they were hijacking the plane to Toronto. Just what these desperate men were doing was made explicit to the passengers when one of them spoke on the P.A. system, “Good day ladies and gentlemen. In case you haven’t guessed it this is a hijacking. Do not fear we are not Bader Meinhof or Red Brigade terrorists. We are protesting against certain distasteful events occurring in the Province of Quebec. It is not directed towards you but rather against the Canadian government who is doing nothing against the mutant-communist-revolutionary elements. Their goal is to rip asunder Canada and plant the hammer and sickle flag in Quebec. It is high time the Canadian government sent in troops to crush these dangerous fanatics. The federal government has pandered to these elements far too long. Enough is enough. We three are proud Ontario patriots dedicated to focusing national attention to the revolution in Quebec that is threatening Canada. These fanatics should be arrested and imprisoned for sedition. Long live Canada! Long live the Orange Lodge!”
Some Torontonian passengers clapped and cheered. The Quebecers were angry and the Greeks baffled.
I miss those fabulous Stag’s Hollow Reds! Not communists but red wine! British Columbia the land of Social Democrats, NDP’ers and Greens all escaping a Vancouver radio host Pat Burns past who greeted female callers with was it “Hello Doll!” And Ben Gitner’s Tartan Brewing in Prince George sticking his finger up at the big three breweries! British Columbia a land of contradictions and pioneers but there are no such contradictions with Stag’s Hollow wines. Consistently excellent in the last few years I have been trying them. So with such a good record they are due for a dud? Will a weak link be found with these wines? Hard to bear the unfathomable but as a wine writer I realize these things can happen but why am I focusing on the negative? Snap out of it!
Rosés in both Ontario and British Columbia can be excellent and can be considered a bright light in Canadian wine able to compete with the best in the world. So gushing with enthusiasm and optimism let us give Stag’s Hollow 2020 Syrah Rosé swill and a slurp.
A luminous mid pink colour indicative of a right-wing socialist. Aromas of cheerful raspberries, strawberry bug juice and White Spot gooseberry pie.
On the palate you gotta love that bite to it. Raspy and uncouth on the palate or more diplomatically said full of minerality reminding me of many wines from the Dão region in Portugal. I love that roughness as it gives character to the wine, a character many insipid Rosés lack of course making it ideal for food. OK back to taste rather than sensations a see saw between raspberries and red cherries on the palate. No cherry Kool-aid making this a juvenile flimsy wine. I’d say this is up there with a high quality Tavel Rosé from France. Vive la Colombie Brittanique!
Ooops……in mid palate a bit of charcoal infused sweetness. If there was a Mount Vesuvius in the Okanagan I’d be tempted to say the Syrah was grown in volcanic soils. Mid length finish. Being a gourmand of epic proportions I will notch down my modesty and say enjoy with a COSTCO garlic sausage topped with homemade tomato relish and fresh Italian buns served on Limoges China.
At 243 cases this is boutique winery wine that even non-cardiologists and neurosurgeons can afford. I would suggest serving cool as opposed to cold unless of course the humidex is at 45 and you are sitting outside I give you permission to put in an ice bucket. This wine writer should stop his yapping and repeat watch how the wine hits its stride mid palate i.e., halfway before it hits your throat to slide down the hatch.
There is 8% Viognier in this and now that is a big cause of the delightful raspiness to the wine. Being a Viognier lover how could I have missed this! Probably by not reading the technical notes until after I tasted the wine. Sheesh caught with my pants down so as to say! Brilliant blend!
Albariño in Canada? Rare but gotta give Stag’s Hollow a pat on the back for not riding with the pack on this one. You’ll see it in Spain and Portugal in abundance but in Canada no mucho Albariño! How is the 2020 vintage doing? With each vintage it seems to be improving.
On the nose this pale gold wine has loads of character with melon, guava, tangerine, vanilla wafer cookies with a bit of peach. A knockout! On the palate grippy minerality and this wine is virtually growling in its masculinity and revelling in its sophistication. On the palate you get what you get on the nose. A stunning wine leaving many of its Spanish and Portuguese counterparts on the sidelines with their mouths open and their faces blushing with envy.
This will hold well until 2026.
Sure you can match this wine with food but it is so good on its own one must be careful with their food selection. My choice would be zucchini flower pasta where the anchovies will enhance the sanctity of this wine. The winery suggests seafood, seafood pastas and risottos, light and creamy dishes, Vietnamese/Thai dishes which I will not disagree with. It also suggests sushi and sashimi and Caribbean/Cajun dishes which I respectfully disagree with.
The grapes were from the Shuttleworth Creek Vineyard which one day may be legendary for its quality grapes. Sadly only 403 cases were produced.
This is worth a case purchase.
Winemaker Kiera LeFranc has a great talent not for this wine only but the entire Stag’s Hollow portfolio.
(Stag’s Hollow 2020 Albariño, Okanagan Valley VQA, Stag’s Hollow Winery, Okanagan Falls, British Columbia, $24, 750 mL, 13%, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 96/100).
In his younger days as a student when he had lots of hair he visited Croatia which then was part of Yugoslavia before it became an independent country. Boy he loved the islands off its coast and Dubrovnik was a quaint old town. But he returned a few years ago for a vacation and was disgusted with how the cruise ships and thousands of passengers were quickly ruining Croatia and its Dalmatian Coast. There simply was no room in the old town to hold the hordes of passengers who spend little and scuttle back to their floating hotel for dinner which makes Dubrovnik on the road to ruin like Venice, Barcelona, Lisbon and Porto. Don’t mention cruises to PP as he goes into a tirade about the idiocy of the onboard entertainment and all you can eat midnight buffets.
This time he asked I review a Graševina from Croatia from a winery called Kutjevo. It comes in on a regular basis to the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) and is $15.95 and within PP’s budget and hopefully it will take his mind off the ruinous fleets of these floating hotels.
It is pale gold in colour. On the nose apricot, pear, pineapple and lime all rather weak and not very assertive. On the palate I will be polite and call it a delicate wine or I could be direct and say it is just about tasteless. Yes, it is well made without any technical flaws but it lacks character. I just texted PP and said “Don’t buy. Wimpy!” Short finish.
I think I’d go somewhat with the label that says it is a good accompaniment to summer salads, poultry, seafood and Mediterranean cuisine although that is grossly simplistic as this type of food in some cases and depending on how the food is prepared would be totally unsuitable with this wine.
(Kutjevo Graševina 2020, Kutjevo Winery, Kutjevo, Croatia, $ 15.95, LCBO # 519074, 13%, 750 mL, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 79/100).
Birdslaughter has been heavy on my mind golfing on a Monday I hit a goose with a long nine iron shot that landed in a gaggle of Canada Geese on the third hole bird down!
Convulsing causing my guilt to go pulsating but the fellow righted himself and looked a bit stunned like gas in the United States I was a bit fracked and with guilt racked so I played through a bit rattled hoping the witnesses would not tattle but thrown for a loop when an old a massive dead goose was carted away on a Friday but wait my hit on the bird was a Monday! which I only realized was not the Friday death day the bird police have no grounds to haul me away as a result of this tragic day I suppose then tonight I need not pray for forgiveness for a deed I did not commit crudely said it is great not feeling like shit
Hello. Let me introduce myself. My name is Reggie and I am the luckiest and happiest dog in the world. Please read my story and find out why I am saying this.
There is a big stir at Toronto Pearson Airport. There are television cameras and journalists like my dead master Anwar. I wonder if anyone is watching us in Egypt?
I am very tired and so scared I am shaking. The foster parents are picking us up to take us to their home. Are they kind masters and mistresses? Although I am shivering in fright I am also excited. I am off the street for now. Are foster parents arrested in the middle of the night like Anwar was? I am a bit mixed up and so very tired.
A tall man with a beard and a lady come up to me and softly call my name. They try and pet me but I am afraid of stranger’s hands and feet as I was hit and kicked so many times in Egypt. I move back and give a little growl but they do not try and hit or kick me.
Oh it has been so long since I had a leash and collar! It feels good although it feels a bit strange. I have been a street dog for a few months but this leash and collar remind me of Anwar who is gone and I will never see him until I go to heaven.
The man’s name is Anthony and the lady is called Susan. They give me a treat which tastes so good. They call it dried liver. If I do what they say they are so happy and say, “Good boy Reggie” and sometimes even give me a treat. I think I would do just about anything for these liver treats! We all go to my foster parent’s car and there is a big blanket on the back seat and they put me there saying we will be home soon. I have not had a real home in many months. I wonder if we can watch the BBC news every night like I used to do with Anwar.
I fall asleep in the car and wake up in front of a house so different than the houses in Egypt. They have a green backyard full of plants and thick grass and I have a good roll in it and bark a thank you to these strangers. They show me their house and I have my own bed and blanket and my own bowl for water and food! I have a big drink of cold and clean water and I have some crunchy food they call chicken kibble.
We all go out for a walk and I pull hard on the leash I am so excited to see other dogs being walked and many are happy to see me. They sniff me and wag their tails and some want to play. No one shouts or curses me. I am beginning to like Canada! But suddenly a big dog like the one who attacked me in Cairo barks at me and although I am so frightened I lunge and bark at him furiously. I have never lost my temper like this before. Susan and Anthony calmly pull me back and they know I was attacked as they say that they will protect me from all dangers and what happened to you in Egypt will never happen in Canada.
So we go home and Anthony watches the BBC news and this makes me feel sad and happy at the same time. I fall asleep at Anthony’s feet. Soon it is time for bed and Anthony takes me out for a walk saying I should pee and poo outside. I understand this as this is what Anwar taught me.
I am looking forward to a sleep in my new bed and having clean water to drink anytime I want! As I fall asleep I think about all the dogs that were on the airplane. I am sure they do not speak English and I hope they are having a good time in their new country. I have only been here a few hours but I am finding out what feeling safe is like. But will I be loved? I do not know what foster parents are but I am sure I am going to learn.
As I get into better health I pay some attention to the television monitor in the recovery room. I understand English very well and I see with great sorrow, so great I query if you can feel my heart breaking, that Anwar has been executed as a traitor to Egypt. An article or two critical of the current government and he is a seditionist!
I am so sad I want to crawl up and die. My master killed like a street dog.
My friends tell me we are going to a far way land called Canada. I have seen a few BBC documentaries on Canada. I remember snow and terrible cold. But I am so devastated and unhappy about Egypt if I can get out of this murderous nation to both humans and dogs I have hope.
There was a Canadian woman in our hospital and she pointed to me as a refugee for rescue. I am thinking about a new life with people that care and respect me. I do not want to be beaten, kicked and spat on. I have the ancient blood of the Pharaohs in me. I am an honourable badali dog. If I go to this strange land I will bring the Pharaohs spirit with me.
Many of us are excited about this strange land Canada. I tell my dog friends that from what I know about Canada from the BBC news and documentaries I have seen it is a calm country. There are no big demonstrations. These Canadians respect dogs much more than in Egypt.
There is some talk I hear from the Canadian lady at our hospital that there are many Canadian humans waiting to help us. Some dogs ae so frightened by a bad rumour we are going to be made into sausages in Canada. I tell them based on BBC broadcasts this is impossible.
We are selected for transport to Canada. We have been spayed, deloused and undergone parasitic treatment.
The big day has come. We are taken to the airport in Cairo as we await our flight to Toronto. We are given a last walk and have a chance to pee and poo and we are given some chopped goat meat that makes us very sleepy. We are put in cages and placed in what I know as an airplane from the BBC news I have seen.
We are very sleepy and do not pay attention to the dark and cool place we are placed in the airplane. There is an animal doctor from Canada on the airplane called Dr. Murray who is a veterinarian and sits with us for 12 hours until we arrive in Toronto and makes sure we are let out of our cages so we can do our business.
So we arrive and there are foster parents who will help us get used to this strange country. Many are crying and they try and hug us and tell us we are safe. We are smart street dogs and can’t simply trust humans that have abused us. Being so tied into BBC news I try to bark out that we are safe. We are in CANADA. A country that loves dogs. We have hope. Where are the families that will take care of us?
Ontario does extremely well with Cabernet Franc and recently I am coming to the same opinion for Gamay which appeared with great popularity 5 or so years ago but seemed to fade from the public view. 3 times more Cabernet Franc is grown in Ontario than Gamay and even the treacherous Baco Noir is produced in more quantities than Gamay. The expression one hears is that Pinot Noir is a heartbreak grape due to its thin skin and susceptibility to disease and rot. But Baco Noir in Ontario is often a rotten mess that only a few wineries can manage like Henry of Pelham.
So Malivoire is one of the first wineries I recall on the wine trail arriving from Toronto. I can’t recall this winery so very well as it has been years ago since I have been there. And Martin Malivoire is married to Moira Saganaki a client I ran into as a lawyer years ago in the financial services industry. Martin is a special effects guru for television and film.
In 2020 Malivoire produced some 27,000 cases. A small winery with a persistent presence at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario.
Malivoire’s Farmstead 2019 Gamay is in our glass and is not “estate” grown but rather through grapes purchased from growers in the Niagara Peninsula.
The wine has a light ruby colour. On the nose raspberry, black cherry and blackberry all in a light milk chocolate framework. The tannins are light and the acids subtle. We can say as far as fruit on its palate it is light on its feet and easy going. Gentle bits of cherry, strawberry and raspberry with a short finish. Although the nose is wickedly delicious it simply can’t convert to this high level on the palate where we might hike up its ranking to a Beaujolais Cru if we were in France.
Comparable with French Beaujolais-Villages and highly drinkable on its own. Although the wine has a bit of a bite to it I would defer to a beef or lamb burger with lots of condiments and a slice of fresh Ontario field tomato. I also suggest pairing with light tomato pasta dishes. I’ll go the maxim and pair light wines with light food so although the Vintages description states you can match with grilled beef I don’t think this could stand such a blast of protein.
Make no mistake this is a well-made wine with no flaws or faults. Serve cool.
Could I say that Malivoire’s Lady Bug Rosé is an iconic Ontario wine? Or is it simply because one walks into a Liquor Control Board of Ontario store and it seems eternally omnipresent? A more pressing question is what is its quality? I mean one can hardly call Fuzion Malbec iconic because it was once selling like hotcakes griddled up at the Calgary Stampede.
The herd immunity we are all hoping for in the COVID battle is far different from the herd mentality of purchasers at the LCBO.
So how is this Lady Bug Rosé? It is mid intensity pink in colour. On the nose strawberry, cherry, raspberry and pomegranate. And the aromas are strong and forceful. Could this be a power Rosé? On the palate the intensity of the nose translates right through. The strawberry has a nice strawberry sundae twist to it. The wine has a big mouthfeel to it. A tightly knit palate. The wine should not be served too cold or its flavours and aromas will be compromised.
While this is a good quaffing wine it has the structure to compliment a variety of dishes. I would pair it with smoked salmon pasta. Sautee garlic and onions throw in some chopped Ontario field tomatoes, basil, oregano, a cup of this wine, smoked salmon and 35% cream and serve over egg noodle fettucine. You’ll no doubt enjoy this Ontario iconic Rosé.
Ontario produces a panoply of Chardonnays that compete with the best in the world thought by many to be in France! Malivoire produces a 2019 Estate Grown Chardonnay. It has a light gold colour. As for aromatics there is apple, pear, pineapple a just a tiny bit of banana. 55% of wine was fermented in neutral oak and the rest in stainless steel. It is smooth and initially a bit unassuming but give it a few seconds and it asserts more fullness and character. Some baked pear, guava and apple cake. Moderately long finish. What is unique about this wine is for lack of better words, is its power surge on the palate at the 5 second mark with some minerality making a brief appearance. And its acidity is well under control.
The wine is good for sipping and with pasta primavera, fish and chips or roast turkey says the LCBO Vintage’s description. I have no issue with those suggestions.
We conclude with a Vivant Rosé which has a gleamy light pink colour. Is its luminosity because it is a “bon vivant”? On the nose cherry, pomegranate, raspberry and cherry jam. Like a can-can dancer light on its feet palate wise. Its character takes a few seconds to form quite like the Lady Bug Rosé. Delayed flavour technology is a possible invention Malivoire is working on? In terms of intensity on the palate it is not there and with its name one expects something on the light and airy side. Perhaps some apricot, tangerine and cranberry. This certainly is a bon vivant that will accompany your good times. But most importantly not razored by acidity.
What foods would suit this wine? Personally the wine seems more interested in having fun than being matched with food. How about I make you work a bit and say as veggies are ramping up when Ontario eggplants are in full season try a Greek dish called Briam. Try this and smile https://www.mygreekdish.com/recipe/briam-recipe-greek-mixed-roasted-vegetables/
(Malivoire Vivant Rosé 2020, VQA Beamsville Bench, The Malivoire Wine Company Limited, Beamsville, Ontario, $19.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 498535, 750 mL, 12.5%, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 89/100).
Hello. Let me introduce myself. My name is Reggie and I am the luckiest and happiest dog in the world. Please read my story and find out why I am saying this.
After I was badly bitten by that big dog guarding the public market in Cairo I only remember running away in a panic and collapsing in pain and crying and then falling asleep.
I woke up in a strange place with wires attached to my chest and funny beeping noises. My leg has a big bandage on it and there are blood stains on it. There are people in white coats nearby and as my Arabic is so weak I don’t understand what they are saying. Anwar and I watched so much English television and he only spoke to me in English I am not sure what these people are saying.
I feel dizzy and want to throw up and have a terrible pounding in my head. I cry out in pain and I cry for my master Anwar. Where are you Anwar! A lady in a Habib comes to me and gently says something I don’t understand but she strokes my head and kisses my forehead and I feel a jab in my leg and the pain goes far away maybe far away as Anwar may be. My crying stops and I drift off to sleep. My mind is back with Anwar as we sit and watch cartoons on the television and he gives me belly rubs and I feel so safe and loved. Anwar must be coming to get me soon. Anwar where are you. Please come and take me home. I do not like this bad dream.
I wake up and there is no Anwar just men and women in white coats who speak to me nicely and pull off the wires from my body. I am a bit dizzy but I feel much better. They speak to me softly and stroke my head. I begin to feel safe but I miss Anwar so much I feel like crying and I start to whimper. But a big man with a beard comes to me and says my name Reggie! He turns me over and gives me a tummy rub. I feel very safe although I do not understand why I am in this place. I think these are good humans trying to help me.
I fall asleep again but wake up with other dogs who are in their own little beds. There are many of them of all sizes. I recognize a couple of my street friends. They tell me I am in a special place called a hospital where these people in white coats help sick dogs. They tell me I will not be kicked or spat on and that I am safe.
Then food comes for all of us and lots of clean water. I eat and drink like I have not done in months. My hair is dirty and full of fleas and tics. I am scrawny and very weak. I am embarrassed and ashamed but another man in a white comes up to me and says, “Reggie let me hug you and tell you we love you here. You are safe. We are going to make you well.”
The man takes me to a big tub of water and I get a special shampoo that kills the bugs crawling over my skin. Another lady gives me a shave down of all my hair. I feel cool and exceptionally clean.
My friends tell me I will be checked very carefully by “vets” who are doctors for pets. They are so kind to me I am beginning to trust humans again. They stick needles in me to take blood for “tests”? They inject medicine with these needles. My friends tell me you are going on a trip with us Reggie and that we will all be safe in a place far away. I do not want to go far away. I want to be with Anwar. Anwar where are you?
So I stay at this home where I feel safe and cared for and my friends tell me we may soon be going to another place far away where humans are waiting to care and love us. As Anwar has not come to take me home I sadly feel he has left me. Why? What did I do wrong?
But I feel good. I feel strong. My stomach is full. The bugs have stopped crawling over me but I want Anwar or someone that will love me and teat me as special as Anwar did.
I see a lady who is not Egyptian come into our place and as I understand English she says to the men and women in white coats she is from a rescue society in Toronto, Canada that will take twenty or so of us to a place called Toronto to families that will love and care for us. What is Canada? Where is Canada? How will we get there? Will there be people there who will kick us, spit on us, try and shoot us dead? I tell the dogs what I understand as I understand English so well. They are confused and frightened but anything should be better than Cairo….I hope.
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