A little follow up... I was on my way to yoga this evening, transferring Metros in Rotterdam, when I spied a homeless man pulling his pants down on the side of the hallway leading from one Metro line to the other. I ran by quickly, not stopping to watch. It would appear that Delhi isn't the only place that is in need of free and accessible public toilets.
I was amazed this afternoon to see a dog owner actually reach for a plastic sack from her pocket, bend over, and scoop up her dog's mess from the street! What an improvement. She probably would have left it there if I hadn't walked by. It's amazing how many dog owners are oblivious to the public health threat they create by leaving the poop everywhere. Not to mention that it's simply foul.
One of the neighbors actually allowed his dog to go on my brand new lavender plant several years ago. The plant died. After that I stopped bothering with our small garden in front of the house. I now let pumpkins grow wildly every year, something the neighbors find exotic. People actually stop in front of our house to look at them. They become out of hand and start growing onto the sidewalk, which increases the fun. We can't eat them, since I'm sure the neighbors dogs pee all over them. They're also different shapes and colors every year. The kids love pumpkins, and would like to grow more of them.
I've wanted to find a plant that detracts dogs, to keep them from peeing on our house. So far, I've only come up with plants that are poisonous if they eat them. (We live on a very small street. There's no space between the sidewalk, and the house.) I used to grind up lemon rinds as a deterrent, and sprinkle them in front of the house, but haven't done it in a while.
It's a good thing it rains a lot in this country. Every neighborhood is pretty much a free for all dog toilet, and then it rains, washing some of the filth away and down the drains.
Sorry to get scatological on you.
A friend from Hunter College nicknamed 24th Street between First and Second the "Street O' Shit." It was covered in human business. A street best avoided. I think that's all changed in ten year's time.
2 comments:
What a great post. I'm sure, by the way, that that street is so completely yuppified that no one would dare take a poo on it these days. I sort of miss NYC right now.
I've missed NY a lot the past nine years. It's tough to leave it all behind, as I've discovered. I'd be living there right now, if it weren't so complicated.
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