Daddy, Learn Spanish Quickly, Please!!! by Star

Mom says that speaking Spanish doesn't mean that you can communicate with people in Cuenca. She also says that this is true in any language... but I know she is wrong because in doggie language we understand each other and communicate just fine and many times without the need for a bark... but humans are different. Take dad, for example, he is studying Spanish diligently, going to class, studying hours a day, and trying to speak whenever he can. So, I shouldn't be as hard on him, but he can get me in trouble sometimes.

The other day we were waiting for mom in front of the SuperMaxi (one of Cuenca's nice supermarkets). A lady came by and asked dad "Bravo, bravo?" referring to me. Dad with a big smile said said "si, si, si".... I noticed that the lady who had been trying to pet me changed her demeanor and quickly left, but dad didn't get it. When mom came out dad proudly said that there was a lady who really liked me. Mom asked what she had said and dad said: Bravo, bravo, bravo! Mom smiling told dad that 'bravo' is used here in reference to a dog as we use the word 'mean' in the States. So, my dear dad was basically telling the lady that I was a really mean dog!!!! Can you believe that?

You would think that for mom it is easy to communicate here since she speaks Spanish fluently... which to me sounds like blah, blah, blah, blah.... the funny thing is that it must sound like that to many Cuencanos who ask her to repeat what she says or who look at her like she came from Mars. Apparently she has the same trouble understanding some people here, as she also asks them to repeat what they say over and over again and in many occasions she gives up pretending she understood, but when dad asks her what the person said, she confesses she has no idea.

Wouldn't it be better if all humans learned doggie communication skills? I think doggie language should be the universal language. What do you think? Are you ready to smell some butt? Mom says maybe not.