No Man with Hat allowed

It was a summer day, a very special day. We were in a family reunion on a Saturday noon, when suddenly one of our uncles came home with a big surprise, he was excited and was calling every body to the back side of the yard and there it was, a big nice Doberman dog, tall, his ears were pointing to the sky like a sign that he was very proud of himself, of who he was, we didn’t know his story but it was very attractive dog, specially for us that didn’t have a dog.

Even his walk was with some kind of elegancy, like if he attended some special school, were not every body was allowed, just a few and special ones. His tail was short as part of his outfit, his hair was very shiny, and even his teeth, where so white, a real good, well shaped dog.

Our uncle start explaining to us that this dog belonged to the army of a Central America country and his owner was a captain. One of our uncle’s friends was on duty, found out that the dog was missing in action as his captain was.  The story of the captain we didn’t hear, but certainly we know something about him by seeing his friend, the lovely dog and his name was exactly, Captain.

As the days went by, we notice the Captain was very reserved dog, never barked. He didn’t move unless our uncle gave him an order. Every day he was always standing at the door, the main entrance of our house, nobody would dare to try to get in with out an invitation, Captain was checking and scanning the intentions of people, even he never barked, people were so intimated by his only presence, his kind of majesty, he actually act like a very, very good guardian.

Some times my friends came to visit me, but I warn them that Captain, was a very dedicated protector, and I used to tell my friends that even I never seen him before attack anybody, or even show a sign of anger, I had the feeling that Captain has his days also, and I didn’t want my friends to be the test of Captain’s moods.

Next to our house there was another Doberman, but female. This family loved chickens and they had as many as they could to the point where some times that house sounded more like a farm because all day long we use to hear the noise of ducks, chickens, roosters, turkeys and pork.

One day Captain was taken by uncle to this house and there Captain meet his dream girl dog. I was there, to me, it seemed that Captain even showed a different facial expression, almost like a cool smile. So the owner of Laica, as I heard the name of Captain’s new love, asked my uncle to let them play for a while in back yard, my uncle told Captain instructions in a very specific way, I was impressed the way Captain understood the commands, and yes he went to the back yard to enjoy his date. Captain didn’t know that his lovely date had a vice; hunt chickens. So there it was a lot of noise, Laica was having a blast hunting them, barking, running, jumping, for her was a total party going on, but for Captain was just another routine of submission and discipline. We ran to the back yard, I was so afraid of finding that Captain was included in this outrages behavior, I was thinking, man Captain was seduced for his love to do something that was told not to do.

But for my surprise, Captain was just seating there, observing the behavior of her date and at this point it seemed to me, that he was very disappointed. As you read, Captain was very committed to obedience, and didn’t even cope with the influence of a beautiful female. That was impressive to me, that even a dog can have self-control about his manners.

Now we thought that we knew Captain very well, but like always happens, there is something everybody hides like the dark side of the moon. One Sunday about 6:00 p.m. Captain was there almost finishing his shift on duty, guarding the door. I was seating next to him, enjoying his silent company and I was listening a special radio program, with the rock songs of the time. Everything seemed so normal, like other Sundays at night. Suddenly Captain jumped like from out of a trampoline to the other side of the street. There was a man walking with no intention at all even to get close to our house, but Captain got so mad, he barked and tries to attack this man. I was in shock, running behind Captain, I didn’t want this man to be bite by Captain, but it seemed that this man was his enemy, he was willing to approach in a violent mood like never imagine before.  I called Captain many times, but he didn’t listen, even my uncle came out, and screamed at him, but he wouldn’t listen.

The man been attacked didn’t understood also, he wasn’t even looking at Captain, but he couldn’t stop trying to bite him. The man use his walking stick just to defend himself, he didn’t want to hurt Captain, but Captain was already wounded and I understood that he was reacting out of trauma received before.

One thing got my attention, people walk on that street every day, but Captain never had this estrange behavior, but I notice that this man was wearing a hat. That object unleashed the secret resentment that Captain had for somebody that hurt him and left his trauma.

I never thought that this event would have change something in me, but from that day on, I started to treat people different, knowing that we all may look calm, peaceful, with manners and education but at some point we all may loose our self-control as soon as we have contact with somebody or something that reminds us of a tragic moment in our lives, a moment of hurt or pain, caused by others, that leaded us to loose somebody or something valuable for us. I remember that from that day  I was been the body guard of Captain and protecting people, by telling them, please don’t wear a hat in front of Captain, respect his memories  and emotions, and he will respect you.

Now I told my friends if you want to come to visit me, make sure you don’t bring a hat, Captain is very strict on this concept:

A man must show himself as he is, so he can be trusted.