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Tuesday, 12 September 2017

MUSLIMS AND THE DOGS BY FIONA CUMMINGS


I have a very strange desire to paint a lot of rooms in my house bright lemon. So, you are asking how can you get anything other than bright, lemon? Well, if they are past their sell by dates lemons won’t be looking too bright, right? Haha. Seriously I love that colour. And you know I can’t see anything, so why even bother with colours? Because I have an imagination, and a memory. Inside my head is full of pictures and images.

Lemon trees and lollipops.

 

So, this isn’t really a serious blog, so why not finish it how I started it? Our door bell broke. Mystery why or how, but never mind. Cheap and cheerful. Good old Amazon. The only problem was, my order was due of my door bell, how would I hear the delivery man? My old bell was still up. You watch I thought, the delivery guys never ever ring my bell but today, they will ring it until showing signs of white finger! (DEFINISION OF WHITE FINGER, OVER USE OF TOOLS GIVING YOUR FINGER THE APPEARANCE OF THE COLOUR WHITE AS THE BLOOD VESSELS SPASM)  

As I waited for the delivery man, having to sit in my living room most of the day, I heard the van pull up. Now, normally I would rush to the door and open it with a welcome smile. But I’m fed up of looking like the local lunatic smiling at passers-by, only to realise that the sounds are not visitors for me. Having to close the door and die inside with shame, what has happened to me in the past is, the sounds were in fact for me. And I had closed the door on them. So, having to open it again and apologise, I take the parcel and close the door for the second time. But I also have been there where I open the door, even slightly put my hands out to receive the package to realise that it’s the builder across the road or a passing taxi dropping someone off. So now I just stand with the door closed until I hear footsteps and I can tell you now, I open the door and they are already getting back into their van. I have been known to chase them shouting stop.  One day a few months ago I had a full blown row with a guy in his delivery van as he didn’t even try to knock ring the bell or bother even to step onto my land. He parked up and dropped my parcel off next door. I was furious. Hands on hips, he was giving a real telling off. I was like a mad woman that day just sick of people thinking because there isn’t a car in our drive, we are not in also some people with certain religions, hate dogs and they hear Hubs dog barking as someone dares to pull into our street, and they as in the delivery people, run like mad. I just don’t get that in their religion. You would think something would have changed by now especially if they live in the UK where there are dogs. I hate what Muslim people think of dogs and the stories I have heard about what they do to them is despicable!

 

Dogs would give their life to save their owner. They are loyal and guide the blind and those who can’t see as well as sighted people also they tell those who are deaf if there is someone at the door, if the smoke alarm has gone off I heard last year when I interviewed someone who is deaf and blind, she was asleep and her dog was trying to wake her. She didn’t know why? She followed her dog who then took her to her sitting room where he barked non stop near a cabinet. The lady knew something was wrong near the cabinet and further investigation, she became aware that she must have forgot to blow out her fragranced candle and it had caught fire. She called the fire brigade and by the time they came, she had got the fire out but they told her it had caught her curtains. If not for that dog, she wouldn’t be alive now. She is someone’s daughter, sister and Mother. Moreover, a lovely lady who works hard for others.

 

If not for guide dogs, those who are partially sighted or blind, would be prisoners, as believe me, most people who can’t see well or at all, are really on their own in this world. How would you like it if you never could leave the house? You can’t see out from your window. You can never go to the Doctors, chemist to pick up a prescription or local shop to get your food. As a parent, you can’t collect your child from school or attend a school meeting or child’s concert. Also, even if you just go to the local shop, you meet people on the way and they talk to you. Even if it is just to say hello! Sometimes to hear another humans voice makes a lonely person feel alive. You don’t really sit at home on your own laughing, do you? If you can get out and someone may make you smile, what a difference your day will become.

 

My Husband wouldn’t have been able to go to University without the assistance of a guide dog. He went to a huge University where the campus was enormous. University lead him onto work. He was a tutor of English then he went into production of magazines and then tapes and CD’s. Then he became a manager and worked in many roles before heading the International development which he had decisions to make hand in hand with the Governments of our country and countries all over the world.  His guide dog gave him that freedom.

 

What do blind Muslim people do? Use a white cane? That’s fine, but there are limitations with a white cane. In our town for example it’s really impossible to use a white cane safely. I do when I go to town with my Husband and his dog, but I tell you, I come back with cuts and bruises. A white cane can’t see silent vehicles and bicycles coming towards you as you are about to cross a road. They also can’t see road works and be able to take you an alternative route. They also can’t take you to a door like a dog can. For example, a shop door. Don’t get me wrong, a white cane is a huge importance in a person who can’t see well or at all. But a guide dog really is a life saver.

 

Some religions like Muslims may have a family connection and I admire those people who do have close families who are there to help selflessly, but that does mean that a person who is blind will never be independent. The stress I used to go through when I went for my child from school was simply dreadful. But the feeling when I got him home safe was one of optimum success and achievement! Even better when I got a call to say he was ill could I collect him from school? Of course, I could. I didn’t have anyone to do it for me, but I was the parent, and it would be me seeing to my little boy. As a child, I learned the hard way what it feels like to be ill at school and have no parent to be there for me. That wasn’t happening to my child.

 

If someone steels from you or attacks you, and you call the Police, your attacker is on the loose, he is running too fast for a Police man to catch up but the dogs are let off to give chase and they catch that person, would you be grateful? And if a dog is good enough for security, why not good enough to show you what love is?

 

Rant over with regards to dogs, I just wish people would stop being the way they are about innocent animals. I have heard such disgraceful stories of late where children have kicked guide dogs. It’s shocking and for a religion that is said by some to be peaceful, this is not a kind thing to teach children and the pain that dogs go through is not and shouldn’t be a excepted part of our world.

 

Back to my door bell. It came and between my Husband and myself, we managed to sort it out. Oh boy, I pressed the button. There are 32 tunes. Well, I knew what my Husband would think as soon as I pressed the button. My Son has attributes of his Dad so their opinions agreed with each other. They hate it I, love it. Especially when I learned that it plays “Midnight in Moscow/Moscow nights”” So, that is the tune we have. It’s fantastic. Boy Wonder says it’s like a cheap children’s toy and Hub says it’s totally erroneous!

 

Oh, how I long for my bell to ring…

 

I’m looking forward to tomorrow. We have our besties coming for the day. I can’t wait to see them. Thursday, we are off to the pub quiz and on Friday out with friends for a meal. I always say it, but like the busses, you wait for one to come and all three turn up. Haha. We can go weeks where we do nothing much and then have a busy week. Next week I’m not looking forward to. Hubs away at a conference. I will miss LF too. But as long as he is with his Daddy, he is happy. He’s such a great dog, so well behaved.

 

Wherever you are whatever you are doing or not doing be safe and healthy. With love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

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