If I recall correctly, the only other Relationship Spotlight I’ve
done on a human-animal duo was Friendless and Brown Eyes from Go West.
I’ve gotta figure that, once I’ve done “a boy and his cow,” it’s only
logical to circle back and do “a boy and his dog.” Of course, in this case, we don’t see the
“man’s best friend” dynamic at work in the typical way (some spoilers.)
Right from the start, Adan wants nothing to do with the dog that
will eventually come to be known as Laila.
Not that he means her any harm – it’s a complete accident that he runs
into her with his car, but if it weren’t the passing pedestrian who sees what
happened urging him to do his Christian duty (figuratively speaking,) it’s hard
to say what he would have done. Would he
still have taken her to the vet and then wound up getting stuck with her? As it is, he at first argues to the
pedestrian, “I’m not touching that!” and even as he begrudgingly acquiesces to
helping Laila, he makes good on his initial claim: he throws a spare shirt over her so he can
retrieve her from beneath the car without touching her with his bare skin.
Because of dogs being unclean in Somali culture, this use of
makeshift “barriers” whenever Adan has to touch Laila is a recurring
theme. He uses the shirt a lot, either
specifically to pick her up or try and hide her when he doesn’t want someone to
know he has a dog with him. He also
takes to carrying her around in a small duffel bag with only her head poking
out, and even then, he has words with her when he thinks her head is too close
to him, twisting the duffel bag around and exhorting her to “face that way!” Eventually, he gets a leash for her and lets
her run around at a dog park, but he freaks when he sits down on the grass to
rest and she comes running up to him.
Laila, of course, is blissfully devoted to Adan. No matter how clearly he conveys his
alternating digust, wariness, and alarm, she adores him. When he tries to drop her off somewhere, she
trots after him until he gives in, and she deploys her puppy eyes with ruthless
efficiency. It’s such a great depiction
of unconditional dog love, and it’s really sweet to see her gradually wear down
his defenses.
But the operative word here is “gradual.” Adan goes through a lot on Laila’s behalf and
every fed-up “I’m done!” moment always ends with him taking her back, but that
doesn’t mean it’s all sunshine and roses.
This might sound really awful, but I love that he continues to bag on
her even as he finds himself caring for her, very tentatively starting to play with her, and even naming her. In a casual, offhand tone, he keeps up a
running commentary reminding her that she’s ugly, has no brain, and is completely
useless as a pet. It’s something about
that curmudgeon/softie dichotomy, because although he does take care of her and gets his life turned completely upside
down on her behalf, it’s not because
she’s won him over, not entirely. Maybe
it’s Adan clinging to his last vestiges of distance, putting her down to remind
himself that he doesn’t like dogs. It’s
also worth noting that, while his words aren’t nice, his tone is fine. He’s conversational, talking to her like a
person even as he complains that dogs are stupid and have no language, and she
doesn’t hear anything amiss in the sound of his voice. I don’t know, but for whatever reason, it’s
weirdly charming to me.
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