The ghost of Formosa lives!
You see, it really is quite simple. Jeffu is in fact a dog, and today was a bad bad day, biorythmically speaking, for dogs. One savage mutt tried unsucessfully to eat Tigerman’s dog, dofu, and yet another mutt tried to eat Ironlady’s. Today was not a succesful day for the dofu chomping mutt. Straight up!
Why, this friend sent me an e-mail today and he said his dog . . .
Formosa, pleaee come back! I simply can’t pull it off (the dog’s not interested).
HG
Okay, I also hold with those who think it’s not the doggie’s fault that his owner didn’t leash him. But if he’s biting your dog’s balls off you can’t just stand there and discuss the situation with his owner over some tea. And, though it might just be much more effective, you can’t kick the owner. And there’s not a doggie in the world I wouldn’t kick if it bit my son.
This is a topic that is near and dear to my anger. I’m a very easygoing person, but just the site of a dog trotting around without a leash as his owner walks around oblivious just sets me off. I think Tigerman did a great job and showed much restraint.
Totally with Tigerman here. There is no way to justify Tiger and his family being made to feel scared/uncomfortable when around their own home. In a country where space is at a premium there is no excuse for unleashed dogs. Drives me bonkers 
Last week I went out to taichung Metro Park, nice place, taking my suitably leashed dogs for a wee spot of exercise. They are two Danes so I expect the looks, questions and the chats about the dogs. What I don’t expect is the stupidity of some of the owners.
On two occassions owners with leashed dogs were walking toward me, spotted the dogs and… wait for this unleashed their dogs about 10 foot from me. Hoping for what I don’t know, love, friendship…what did occur was three dogs getting to know each other by attempting to lock teeth onto their balls.
After these altercations I took refuge in the furthest corner of an outdoor cafe, 30 feet or so from the nearest occupied table, so as not to disturb. After 20 peaceful minutes a family turned up. They looked around and despite loadsa empty tables headed for mine. The wife and kids sat down and the husband proceeded to place his little Maltese terrier on my table thinking it would be fun…what was a quiet corner turned into a snarling, barking, writhing mass of Danes, justifyably pissed at having their snooze interupted.
After all three incidents (especially the last), I must admit I lost my temper and was screaming at the pricks to leash their dogs. I did feel a little guilty for losing it, but i still can’t work out what was going through their heads to deliberately go out of their way to approach strange dogs. Walking back to the car I realized that of all the many dogs I could see around only my own and a guy with a siberian husky(muzzled) had leashes. Even forgetting my problems that day, surely with all the children and people around this park, leashing would be a basic must.
Rambling on but fuck it really pissed me off. Feel better now, think I’ll take the dogs for a walk…
[quote]I think you should let it blow over for a few weeks. When all seems forgotten, set a trap for the unleashed dogs. When you’ve caught them, drive them out of town and let them go. Don’t kick them please.
[/quote]
Great solution… then they can join the legions of other feral dogs killing Taiwan’s native animals.
Good point, AWOL.
Animal control would be best idea.
Especially if she ends up having to pay a fine.
You were quite right. I would definitely put pressure on the police. Taiwanese say “sorry” all the time. It means nothing. Well, it means: “sorry, but I’ll do it again.”
[quote=“tigerman”]
Actually, I have little desire to see the offending dogs harmed, pit bull rant notwithstanding. All I really want is for the idiot owners to keep their dogs leashed, as I do mine… and, I want them to shut their traps and just admit that they are wrong in this situation, and that there are NO mitigating circumstances. I just don’t want to argue about shit like this.
That’s the real point of my original post. … I just don’t want to argue with people who are wrong, without question wrong.[/quote]
Ok you got me there. Did see the post about the cops too. Funny that. “No thanks, not our job…oh, you are serious… uh whats the address.” ha, ha. Good luck.
Chou
This a misconception that should be given little credence, but is often passed off as 'knowledge" of local culture.[/quote]
Spot on. Lots of people swallow it hook line and sinker though. Whenever I have lost the bap and had a real go at Taiwanese (or mainland Chinese) it has had the desired effect. Mincing about like some soft shite just gets you laughed at and an “I’m sorry I won’t do it again until the next time.”
I can provide the immortal words “We know where you live” in a thick Belfast accent if required.
Well…
This morning, as I walk toward the 7-11 where I have purchased a drink every morning for the past 6 years, and where the dog attack took place yesterday, I sense something is amiss.
As I near the entrance of the store, I see and hear the boss/manager asking someone, “shr neiga ma?” and looking askance at me. I knew he was talking about me but couldn’t see who he was talking to.
I entered the store and selected my drink. While waiting at the counter, I notice that the girl isn’t speaking to me, as she has every day for the past 6 years, and then I see this asshole standing outside the door, feet spread shoulder-width, hands on his hip, except to open his shirt to reveal to me his tatooed shoulder.
I glance at him to acknowledge his presence but otherwise ignore him as I pay for my drink.
As I exit the store, he calls me over to him. I snapped and got right in his face and asked what he wanted. He asks me if I yelled at a woman yesterday and I replied that indeed I had, and “what of it?”
It was his mother, and he had heard that I was being “rude” to her, and that I had kicked her dogs.
I’m not a big guy, and I wish I hadn’t inherited my father’s temper (he’s 6’3" 300 pounds and strong as a bull). I’m too small to have such a temper… but this prick just fucking pissed me off… I start asking him who the jag-offs are who misinformed him of the subject events… I asked him if he actually was stupid enough to believe that I first kicked his mother’s dogs, for no reason, and only then did they attack my dog… he just looked at me with an idiotic, uncomprehending look.
I explained to him, in an aggressive manner, that his mother was at fault and that all I did was yell at her, in the heat of my anger.
He started to say, “women Taiwan ren… blah blah blah…” and I tore into him (verbally and in his face, not physically) that such was nonsense. I asked him if his mother was more important than my son… to his credit, he acknowledged that I had a right to protect my family.
Then he started saying that others had informed him that yesterday I “chifu Taiwan ren”… and I lost it again… I asked him if Taiwan ren are special and foreign nationals are not permitted to “chifu” them… and of course I told him that I didn’t chifu his mother.
Then he said my actions yesterday caused his mother to be fearful that I was going to hit her. I told him that real men don’t hit women and that I was a real man.
He wanted to shake hands and I did, but I sqeezed his hand as hard as I could. He tried to hug me, but I told him “don’t fucking hug me” and he got offended. I told him that if he wanted me to understand his “women Taiwan ren” nonsense that he would have to accept that where I come from men don’t hug other men (in most situations).
He asked if we could be friends, and I replied “no, let’s just not be enemies”. I don’t know if I should have been nicer at that point???
Then I told him to never ever again try to intimidate me in that fashion… if he wants to hit me, do it… if he wants to talk, that’s fine too.
There was a lot of yelling… mostly by me and I was extremely angry… but I’d never hit anyone except in self defense… and he wasn’t about to hit me.
I’m still pissed, and upset… and I’m dissappointed… The incident that took place yesterday was in no way shape or form my fault. Everyone standing there saw what happened. A woman’s vicious dogs, unprovoked, attacked my dog. These same dogs had previously attacked my dog and my son… My anger at and reprimand of the dogs’ owner, however, was regarded as the offense.
I know that this is “the way things are” in Taiwan…, and I normally try to do as MT suggests… but sometimes a series of events take place and sets me in a foul mood (its been an eventful week… my wife’s store was robbed and she was hit by a car running a red light [she’s OK, but the bike is wrecked]… and then this dog business).
I hope this incident is over.
Tiger! Your blood pressure must be going through the roof. Have a beer.
Do you foresee any more problems with the woman’s 300-pound tyke?
Tiger! Your blood pressure must be going through the roof. Have a beer.
Do you foresee any more problems with the woman’s 300-pound tyke?[/quote]
He wasn’t a big guy. What angered me was his attempt to intimidate me with his tatoo… and again, the fact that his mother was completely wrong, yet my angry outburst is somehow regarded as the offense …
Before anyone says what’d you expect…
Yeah, yeah, I know… been here for 18 years… but sometimes I just cannot swallow the shite.
Maybe you should ask ICRT’s Jeff Wu to come to your neighbourhood and ‘bridge the gap’ for you…
[quote=“tigerman”]… He asked if we could be friends, and I replied “no, let’s just not be enemies”. I don’t know if I should have been nicer at that point???
[/quote]
Wow. What a week. Hang in there man. Yeah, perhaps a bit nicer at that point. A simple no would have done. Time to chill out before this gets any uglier.
Chou
Time to chill. Shitty big week and as I suspected in an earlier post, things have accumulated. Sorry to hear about the missus’ business and accident. Jeesh!
Perhaps, at some point down the track, it may well be worth mending a fence or two, if for nothing more than to allow you to enjoy your morning stroll to the local shop.
Sounds like you handled the son rather nicely. I mean, who’s to say what may have happened if you’d cowered? Still, you know the drill. Blow up cool down, apologise (means nothing after all 
)
Bestest.
HG
Seriously though. This isn’t over yet, as the son failed to make you suitably remorseful and therefore lost face. Watch your back and park your scooter elsewhere for a while.
[quote=“sandman”]
This isn’t over yet, as the son failed to make you suitably remorseful and therefore lost face. Watch your back and park your scooter elsewhere for a while.[/quote]
Agreed. Especially since you refused to hug him. :?
I think we should organize a Forumosa walk-your-dog-athon down your lane. My lab isn’t exactly vicious, but he could possibly lick someone to death. And we could get Crisp and his two great danes :shock: in on the action. 
Add my toy poodle to that list.
I don’t know. I think I made it clear to him that I understood his concern for his mother, and that I had no problem with that. I don’t really think I made him lose face… there was no crowd watching…
I don’t have a scooter or a car… but I’ll certainly watch my back, and my family. And if I see him in the neighborhood, I’ll politely acknowledge his presence…
But I am not about to show remorse… I explained to him that his mother was never in any danger from me… unless her dogs attack again… in which case I will kill the dogs (I probably wouldn’t really do that) and file a complaint against his mother.
I know where they live and where their store is located. AFAIK, they don’t know where I live (althought I suppose they could easily find out) and they know nothing of my wife’s store.
This sucks.
Tigerman.
It sucks now but it will pass. I for one don’t believe there’ll be anymore of this than a few cautious glances from the neighbours going forward.
I do suggest an apology though . . to the shopkeeper and perhaps the son. But of course just for “face.”
You’ve had a tough week, man. Shit like that adds up and you find yourself dishing out a whole lot of shit on someone that probably only deserved a fraction of it. You’d be the better judge than me of the validity or otherwise of that statement. But perhaps not today.
HG