Harvey the Ruffian

Thomas Jordache is one of the main characters of the novel (Rich Man, Poor Man) I'm currently reading. He is the black sheep of the family. He likes to fight senseless fights and he doesn't care what other people think. He is fearless to a fault and he never backs down.

Harvey reminds me of him these days.




Harvey, my Jack Russell Terrier not-a-pup-anymore, is like purposely getting himself into fights and acts like he doesn't care and learn. It's true that his breed is known to be mischievous, energetic, assertive and playful. He is a smart dog and he is very determined in getting what he wants. He never backs down from a good rough play and he's not scared of dogs thrice his size. Like a courageous nutcase that he is, I still assumed that he can still feel pain and he will learn when and how to behave himself in the presence of other dogs. Other dogs automatically observe and restrain themselves when interacting with other dogs. They learn to avoid if the situation's not ideal anymore, but not Harvey.

After his usual morning play with our bigger, more passive dog, he came home with another visible scratch on his nose. The blood had dried up and he wagged his tail for treats as if he was sporting a new battle scar and he deserved a reward. He played and wandered like he didn't care. The maid saw how he provoked the bigger dog and as usual it was Harvey's fault.

This dog doesn't learn. He's a war freak and a ruffian like Thomas. I wonder how Thomas would end up in the novel.