Interview and Photography by Lukasz Rusznica
 |
| Lechoslaw with Berni and Jadzia in the K-9 training zone of Park im. J. Piłsudskiego. They dig the równoważnia, like a catwalk for dogs. |
Hot older brother type Lechoslaw from Warsaw, Poland gave up his job as a successful ad man to start a new career as an author of young adult books. When he’s not writing, you’ll find him hanging out with his adorable mongrels Berni and Jadzia. He adopted them from a shelter for abused animals — Berni lost her tail to a cruel previous owner and Jadzia, well, she’s scared of everything. Photographer Lukasz Rusznica joined them for their morning walk.
Lukasz: How often do you walk the dogs?
Lechoslaw: At least three times per day. In the morning, we go for a long walk to park and then two short walks in the local area later. They used to accompany me to the office.
Do you have to organize your life around them?
Yes, of course. It’s a big responsibility, but it’s worth the effort.
Do they sleep with you in your bed?
Of course…
Is that not bad for their discipline?
Not necessarily… Sometimes, I also jump in their bed. There is a behavioral theory that if one has a dog which is difficult, for example, and tries to dominate his master by taking over his master’s bad, then from time to time, the master should come into dog’s bed and show the animal who’s the boss. You, the owner, have the right to use any bed you want. They have to wait for an invitation.
Do you ever sleep in their dog bed?
A short nap from time to time, yes, but I wouldn't call it sleep.
Are dogs substitutes for children?
No, no… I love them a lot. I speak to them tenderly and diminutively, but they are only dogs and I have to remember this. No more, no less. For different species, we have many similarities which is why we get along so well. We are both looking for some hierarchy — we live in a hierarchical world and so do they.
Do you think only animals can love unconditionally?
You know, I certainly believe in the friendship between species, and I am not ashamed to say they are my best friends. They owe me a lot, but I owe them a lot as well. In his memoir, Rupert Everett describes how dogs teach us such an incredible lesson… They turn slowly from ‘the child figure’ to ‘the parental figure’ because they live much shorter lives than we do. Their psyche changes all the time, and at some point they become wise, perhaps even a little wiser than us.
And have you ever had a situation when the dogs interrupted a sex date? My first hookup with a guy from the internet, he had a dog… A little terrier so old it had lost all its teeth, poor creature. As we got mad in bed, this dog couldn't contain himself and tried to join us! It was a little bit terrifying.
You know, my dogs sit and stare, but don’t get into the bed. They just sit nearby, and tilt their heads and watch. It’s a little bit strange, but I got used to it. They’re only dogs. But I realize that some guys don’t like to be watched by dogs, so in that case I chase them away.
And when taking them for a walk… Do you make a lot of friends?
I have lots of girlfriends in the Mokotow fields. Mostly women in their seventies who go for a walk at the same time as I do. I’m in the park around nine o’clock in the morning. Sometimes we talk about politics, sometimes about health.
About dogs as well?
Of course… We exchange opinions about vets, about the condition of our animals…
Has anyone ever tried to pick you up there?
Not yet.
Not yet?
Not yet… Maybe I have to get up earlier. He who wakes early in the morning gets from god, as the old Polish proverb says. If some guy is wandering around the park at that time, I’d gladly invite him.
What do you see when you look at this inkblot?
I see a cat puking up a hair ball.
No comments:
Post a Comment