My dogs love frolicking in the garden with me. They also like the game “chasing cats” and being watchdog. It seems no other dogs dare come into this little kingdom of theirs. However, cats sometimes try to trespass. The dogs are quick to notice when a cat has crept into their world. The dogs get the scent and off they go!
Life out on the street is a different story: Street dog gangs are the kings of the streets.
Another place where you find kings is in apartment buildings. Many foreigners have never lived in an apartment building that held meetings. In America, many places that you rent are complexes, owned by a rental company. The conditions are that you sign a yearly contract, pay the rent every month to the apartment manager and, before moving out, give a one-month notice and leave the place in good condition if you want to get your deposit back.
Living or owning an apartment in Turkey is more like being in a condominium in America.
For foreigners who are new to life in Turkey, here is how it works:
One evening you will get a knock on the door. When you open it, it will be, let’s say, Ahmet standing there. He will introduce himself as the apartment manager (Yönetici). After exchanging pleasantries, you will be informed of a meeting that will be held for the tenants of your building. Some apartments will post it on a bulletin board in the hallway or circulate a note. Don’t be surprised if the meeting is planned to be held on the night you are told! Sometimes the news comes late in hopes that you have other plans and can’t make it.
Don’t worry if you are a little late to a meeting you heard about only two hours ahead of time. Most would agree that these meetings rarely start on time. I’ve seen people stroll in 30 minutes to an hour late. Some people operate on the idea that the more important you are the later you arrive. Status, i.e., gender, age, renter or owner, all comes into play and determines how much you can contribute to any discussion. Bear in mind, the job of the Yönetici is generally not easy. The average person who has been assigned this role for a term is relieved when they have done their bit! Usually, the most commonly discussed topic is the building needing to be repainted and a decision needs to be made on what color to use. Oh! The other common topic typically ends up being noisy neighbors!
If you live in a more established neighborhood and the building is 10, 15, maybe 20 years old, there is usually a tenant who has lived there since the building was first built. Many may perceive this tenant as the bulldog.
Ooooh that brings me back to my dogs! When a cat dares to stroll across the garden, the bulldog mentioned above is a lot like my dogs who love chasing cats if they dare to cross into their marked territory.
A cat recently had kittens and when the kittens were a little older they all crept into our garden. Our dogs got their scent quickly and took notice. They chased the kittens and one dog even tried to climb up the tree after them. Cats usually are intimidated and afraid of big bad dogs.
Just a word of advice if you are a foreigner and have recently moved into an apartment building as a renter or owner: You may not be as easily intimidated by the bulldog but there may be others who do not want to cross him. If and when you are invited to a meeting, don’t try to set the world on fire right there and then. Advice from newcomers is usually not appreciated. Go and enjoy the tea and meet your neighbors. Try to establish some rapport and gradually earn the right to give your opinion. Even better, try to give your opinion in a way in which anyone who may feel threatened (the bulldog) will think it is their idea, not yours. Some of these bulldogs use intimidation and project an image of being big and important. Other tenants who have lived in the building for years and are even owners are afraid to speak out against such a person, so be careful! Some bulldogs may have a mean streak. If you offend someone he or she can make your life miserable in ways you could not even imagine.
On the other hand, my dogs chase cats but they have never hurt one. Sure they have made their life miserable by chasing them and an occasion a cat will sense that their scare tactics are just for show.
We all know the saying, “His bark is worse than his bite!” So it is for most bulldogs.
