For Love of Country - Military Policewoman https://www.silvaredigonda.ca

I was working and going to an accident scene. Our bus had been struck by a horse and buggy. The horse lay on the ground, crying, blood running from his mouth. A few of our soldiers came begging me to shoot the horse. I knew I couldn’t and as they continued to beg me, I looked at the Egyptian owner of the horse, my peripheral vision watching the horse suffering alone with no one to comfort him. Death would soon claim him. I looked at this Egyptian man with his toothy stained grin. I knew he wanted me to shoot the horse because then we would have to pay him a hell of a lot of money. The accident was his fault; he had cut off the bus. Greed was plastered all over his face. I knew that I could not shoot the horse. Watching anything or anyone suffer has always torn at me. At that moment as I looked at the Egyptian, aware of his suffering horse, I asked myself why we were there. Why didn’t we just go home, let them all kill each other and return to pick up the pieces. What was our purpose for people who thought so differently from us – who had no respect for life or suffering? The horse died as I glared at the Egyptian, my fellow soldiers still near me, also suffering in resignation. We had our own dog, Lucy, at the camp. Females of any kind were worthless in Egypt, and Lucy had somehow been adopted by the Australians. She was an alcoholic and one of the men who worked in the bar took care of her and weaned her off alcohol. It is not nice watching anyone withdraw from alcohol. Her shakes were disturbing and I really didn’t think she would survive, but she did. There was a rule that if a dog was found loose it would be put down. Every time Lucy got loose one of the Canadian soldiers would call me in desperation. I always found her and would bring her home. She didn’t have to be put down during my tour. I can only hope that someone continued to care for her after I left and that she lived for a long time. Silva Redigonda. “For love of country : military policewoman.” silvaredigonda.ca