The Strays...

So remember awhile back I mentioned that stray cats and dogs were a real issue here in Ukraine?
Well, it's really starting to get to Arun.

A few nights ago, Arun suddenly shouted [it was around 2 or 3am]
"Hey!! Hey!!"
I was startled awake, and got up to ask him, "What? What is it? What happened?"

"What IS THIS?"

I look around to determine what he's talking about....

"Why are there all these CATS in the house?" he grumbled... and then turned over and went back to sleep.

Yes- he was having nightmares about me bringing strays into the apartment.

Then we had an incident last night. We went downtown to one of our favorite little restaurants here: Top Sandwich. As we were walking into our apartment complex there was limping, mangy dog snarling at us at the entrance. This time, we were BOTH scared.

I started walking VERY slowly but edging my way towards the gate. Finally, I catch the attention of one of the security guards and point anxiously to the dog and say, "Sabaka...."

He got the message and stood between me and the dog and let me walk in safely. I turn around and discover that Arun has somehow disappeared!

He was standing about 20 feet away [presumably hoping whatever altercation I had with the dog would pave the way for him to run in unnoticed]. The guard laughed at him as he sheepishly walked in, "What will he do?"

Arun muttered back, "I don't want to find out..."

Another night in Odessa.