ABSTRACT
European Jews have a notorious fear of big dogs, especially German shepherds. The author suspect that this fear is rooted in the same deep-seated belief held by antebellum blacks: that these dogs are an extension of armed authorities—police officers, parole officers, prison guards. Enter Rex, a very large German shepherd, roughly a year old. The author’s father assured his family that Rex came from a "farm in Pennsylvania"; more likely, he was a product of the Harlem pound. Rex and the author became friends immediately. Each morning before school, and directly after returning to the store in the afternoon, would walk him—ostensibly so he could do his business; in fact, as an extension of power in the streets. The first attempt to lose Rex was in the summer of 1939. While an uneasy peace prevailed due to clearly de lineated boundaries, allies and enemies were just as clearly marked, and the author’s father found the situation intolerable.
