Dogs in the House--An Allegory

Dogs in the House

Bear is a big dog—I would say he weighs about 90 pounds, because I don’t like to exaggerate.  I do know that I am no match for him if he chooses not to go where I say he should--at such times he is an immovable object and I can’t budge him.  An apparent cross between a Golden Retriever and a German Shepherd, he is a gentle, companionable dog and gets along well with my other dogs, Frankie and Tessa, though he just barely tolerates my daughter’s dog, Ming.  And for good reason, as Ming always snarls and growls at him when he, Bear, comes into the house.

Frankie is a Border Collie mix, about 50 pounds, quiet and shy, with blue eyes, hence the name, though she is female.  Tessa, a terrier/dachshund mix, 25 pounds, friendly and gregarious, is everybody’s friend, a storybook dog.  Ming, a Pekinese, about 13 pounds, a temporary resident of the household,  holds a permanent grudge against Bear, perhaps because Bear is so big that Ming perceives him as a threat to his mistress.

Bear is afraid beyond measure of thunder storms, gun shots, and fireworks, and at the sound of any of these he is ready to tear down the door to get inside.  Once inside, he takes up residence in the bathroom, which is in the center of the house, away from windows, quiet and cool.  Lately, he has been spending most of the day in there, and I attributed this originally to the fact that it was cool, the floor is cool.  But now his motive seems to have evolved into something more sinister.  Although he is never seen to make a threatening gesture—lower his head, snarl, growl, bare his teeth--all three of the other dogs refuse to come down the hall past his doorway.   Frankie and Tessa sleep in my room, and Ming in my daughter’s room, but if I am already in my room at night and the dogs did not accompany me, they will not pass Sarge’s station, but will yelp or whine for me to come provide safe passage.  He just lies there looking innocent, but clearly he has them intimidated.  Clearly he has apprised them of the dangers inherent in any attempt to pass by his station.  And they dare not challenge him.

So, do you see an allegory coming?  Consider Congress, wherein the Republicans seem to have intimidated the Democrats—you don’t see them snarl or growl as the Democrats pass by, but you know they must have done it, just by way of demonstrating their power; why else would the Democrats cower?  They just make it very clear what can happen.  Then all they have to do is sit back and wait for the Democrats to cave, to fold, to whine, even yelp, to beg for someone to help them by this impasse, so they can go on with their lives.   The Republicans, outnumbered or not, have it all under control.

B-b-but, you see, I can’t be there to walk the Democrats past the Republicans:  “Come on…it’s okay…you can do it, see?  They won’t bother you, just keep going…”