There is a dog, Mancha ( Spanish for spot ( there is some debate whether her name is Mancha ( spot ) or Manchas ( spots)) that lives at Tzanka, who has adopted me. She and Buster don’t get along too well, but she likes to follow me everywhere I go around the city.
If I try and discourage her, she stays about 1/2 a block back…. if I ignore her she usually stays about 3 feet behind me…so even if I am not exactly sure where she is I am always careful how I cross around traffic.
You do not see people walking their dogs here, and I have never seen one tied up outside a store or someplace as an owner was inside. I do get strange looks from people when I do take Buster for a walk on a lead.
When I go into a store or the bank Mancha sits outside…right at the edge of the door. There is nothing to keep her from coming into the buildings, the doors are always wide open or there are no doors, but she very rarely does. People have commented…and it is easier to say that she is my dog than to try and explain that she has adopted me.
She has come into the school a couple of times, and surprisingly, no one seems to care, and of course the kids love it. I decided that this is one place that would not be good so I have actively discouraged her here. The looks of some of the kids when I have done this was enough to send daggers into anyones heart.
I decided a couple of months ago to try for a Motorcycle license…3 months ago actually.
Besides the paperwork needed and the visits to various offices around the city ( with a white dog with a big black spot as my shadow), It has taken me this long because I had to learn enough spanish to try the test.
On my visit today, I was in the office for about 45 minutes ( and I got my license on the first try) When I came out of the office there was Mancha. There is nothing to keep her from coming into the buildings, the doors are always wide open but she very rarely does. As I was walking away I noticed 2 security guards looking and commenting on how happy this dog was, and the fact she had been waiting that long.
I just hope she doesn’t try to follow me when I ride my Moto…..