The story of our protagonist today, Lost (Barcelona 2016), could perfectly be the plot of a Disney film. The kind that we liked to see so much as children and that, although they ended well, there were moments when we shed a tear. I'll tell you, but try to imagine it in your mind like the cartoons from the movie 101 Dalmatians.
Early January, Horta-Guinardó district of Barcelona. An agent of the Urban Police hears the howl of a dog that, from the tone, must be that of a puppy. As he gets closer, the sound becomes clearer and he sees that something is hiding behind a large air conditioning unit. When he arrives, he can see that yes, he is a lost puppy, still with part of the umbilical cord, sheltering from the cold and sheltered from the heat that the engine of that air conditioning provides him. Isn't it true that this is how the movie could begin? This is how Lost's life began, just before reaching the family of Judit Mascó (Barcelona 1969).
You know Judit well. She is a model and one of the most respected Top Models in the world, covered in countless magazines, presenter and collaborator in the media. In addition, she is a person who has a social and humanitarian career of more than 30 years, for which she has been recognized with the "Advancers of Honor" award, given by Oxfam Intermón. But, as always, and at this point, I remind you that today, here, we are talking about Lost.
Lost, Judith...
How are you?
We are doing very well, both getting older.
I said that the story of Lost could be the beginning of a Disney movie... I have presented the trailer and I have left it at the moment in which that agent from the Barcelona Urban Police finds it... What happened after from there? How does it reach your family?
We, Eduard and I, had a dog, a black Cocker Spaniel, which we called Dog, dog in English. We were very original with the name (laughs). He lived many years, about 14, and he got to know all of our daughters because although Clara was very young, he was still able to live with her for almost a year. He was very old, he could hardly see, he was deaf, he had a huge lump, he had a very painful cancer and, after a long agony, we had to make the most difficult decision of all, the sacrifice, because that situation could not be endured. . It happens exactly the same as with people who suffer palliative treatments. There comes a time when decisions must be made even though you never think you would have to. Of course, at that time, having four daughters, who came very close together, who were small and working, both my husband and I decided that we didn't want more dogs. Since then, Edu, every year, the girls, in cahoots with their father, uttered the phrase “We want a dog!” They even wrote it in the letter to the Three Wise Men! That dog that appeared in the letter always arrived in a battery-operated or stuffed version while they demanded “No, no, we really want him!”... That, or they held demonstrations at home with a large sheet under the proclamation of “We want a dog! We want a dog!” This, every year and the pressure increased. They sent me messages on my cell phone with advertisements for homeless puppies like... "Wow, Mom, Mom!", while I told them "But do you want to leave me alone!?"
It is easy, as he explains it, to see the picture and the “family pressure” to which they subjected Judit until, finally, and I say “finally” because, a servant, who would have joined the rebellion, gave his arm. to twist... Do you remember that before I asked you to convert the first appearance of Lost to classic Disney cartoons? Well, we could also pass on these letters to the Three Wise Men and Manifestations... The action happens simultaneously. We see Lost, who is behind the air conditioning motor, they pick him up and “Meanwhile in another part of the city” appears on the screen... There the children appear, in full demonstration, at home, trying to convince Judit.
Go on...
Of course, since they already made me the bad guy in the movie, I reaffirmed my position as such. To all this, when the story of Lost, of air conditioning, takes place in the Horta-Guinardó district of Barcelona... it catches me on a trip, specifically, in Madrid working. Curiously, that night I didn't have to go home, I was going to do it the next day and no one told me anything. Everyone was silent and, of course, I didn't even notice. The next day, I had to take an AVE back to Barcelona, and I began to notice a special sympathy from the whole family. The girls sending messages like “Mom, how is work in Madrid?”, Eduard, my husband, “Am I coming to pick you up at the station?”, when no one had come to pick me up for years...
Although we know the outcome, the family plot is so elaborate and funny that we can't stop laughing.
Go on...
I thought... “How cute... I don't know what I always complain about!” Anyway, in the end, no one came to look for me because I told them it wasn't necessary, and when I get home and open the door I find the girls and their father, in the hall! like “Hellooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooouchyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, I was still there, with a suitcase in my hand, and I asked them if something was wrong, because that wasn't normal. Then, they started to say that nothing was happening but that they had to tell me something... They explained it to me and I said, “What do you mean?” because, at that moment, Edu, I thought, “Judit, you've been putting up with this guy for so many years that now, suddenly, you can't be tender. You will lose all credibility", so I stood firm for a while asking questions like "But, is he here?"... At that moment, they take him out... "Look mom..." and I tell them, with a cuttlefish face..." And has this dog already been to the vet? Because he still has fleas! "... Here they already knew that it was yes and they all shouted "Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!"
I told them it was worth it! They had already bought him the feeder, the bed... We took him in the box he came in and took him to the vet to deworm him, give him vaccines, etc. It was a puppy that still had part of the dry umbilical cord hanging out. He would have only a few days to live.
Have you managed to find out where it came from?
No, we have no idea and there is no clue, but it is very strange that he was so newborn. What we do know is that right behind that building in the Horta-Guinardó district is the “Parc de les Aigües” (Water Park), where there is vegetation and space, so it could be the abandonment of a mother pregnant. We don't have any clue, but it is clear that your deduction, as a presentation, is what everyone thought because somehow, in the middle of winter, with very cold days, the little dog found a little hole in which to take shelter. I guess because of a temperature issue.
Do you think that this initial “abandonment” has conditioned his character?
Yes, we know this, but not because I am a great expert, but because the veterinarian told us. It is very important that dogs share the nursing phase with everything that it entails. Sharing, being well fed, receiving affection, and also because mothers are the ones who teach their puppies, for example, to behave correctly during feeding or to moderate their character. All of this influences his development and he did not have this experience. Lost was with humans from a very young age, so we were the ones who had to give him the bottle or feed well soaked in water so that he could eat it, because he was very baby. The stimuli that we humans provide are different, they may be very similar, but they are different from what a mother gives to her puppies. That is to say, there is a part of his life that he missed. Lost has one half short-haired husky, which is not very common, and the other half could even be Labrador.
Half Husky, half Labrador... As for character, what does each breed have?
The husky side is very developed. It is a high mountain dog that enjoys low temperatures, snow, sports or running. He is very guarded, not very friendly with those who do not know him, or he does not know him, he has fears and is distrustful of strangers. He is a great dog for all of us, very protective of the family, and with the closest family, which he senses when grandparents, my siblings, etc. arrive. Of course, when he crosses that border he is a dog that is not comfortable, he is always very attentive.
Lost is very Husky, super Husky, but just like your children, you have to love them as they are. Fortunately, I have a runner husband, so of course, it is made for him, tailored to him. One for each other.
At home you like to play sports and, as you say, your husband is an accomplished runner... How is Lost doing?
The thing is that we are getting older and this has changed. Dogs are, sometimes, much more intelligent than humans... While we believe that we are still young, they do listen to their bodies and react to those sensations. He is already eight years old and for a year now, when he sees my husband putting on his running shoes, he hides!, as if to say “I'm not going, I'm not doing this anymore!” We have become less in this sense, we run less or take shorter walks. Furthermore, less than two months ago, we detected the beginning of osteoarthritis. We are medicating him and he has a high again, but surely these are the first warnings and that is why he hides every time he sees him dressed in sports clothes.
Look, I'll tell you something. For many years, I have practiced yoga and I had a great teacher, a great teacher who taught me to love and do good yoga practices. She always told me “look how we translate all these asanas (yoga postures) from Sanskrit, many of the positions are reflected in some animals.” The turtle position, downward dog, the cat and she always told us that she didn't understand why we don't watch animals much more and do what they do because they are very smart. I asked her what she was referring to and she told us “why don't you lie down on the floor when you get home for a while?” Of course, I sit in a chair or lie down on the couch... When, finally, you do the same as them, it's a pleasure. I mean, if you have, I don't know, carpet or a towel and you lie down on the floor, your back will thank you very much. My teacher always asked me to do the same as the animals.
It wasn't your first dog. You had a Cocker for many years… How did you adapt to the arrival of Lost?
I think it was much easier because we already had daughters old enough to be able to enjoy, share and take responsibility for some of the tasks. For Dog, the Cocker Spaniel we had, it was traumatic to lose the spotlight due to the arrival of new babies at home, while, in the case of Lost, it was not. He came into a large family, with all the possible dynamics of all ages... The one who came into the house, the one who went out, the one who was smaller, the one who had extracurricular activities, the one who played sports... And, of course , had to adapt to that reality.
It is true that things are not so rosy and we quickly saw that the dog needed a trainer, due to his character, his fears, even some obsessions while he was still very young. We had a magnificent trainer who made us understand that if we loved this dog so much, we would surely want to do all the things with him and that, for this to be possible, he had to be socialized to be able to share the maximum amount of time with him in our social life. Human beings are sociable and we move in society, because apart from running and doing high mountains, it was important that we educate him in knowing how to be, even, I know, if you go to a terrace and have a drink with friends, Let him know to sit down and listen to you. We had to turn to the trainer and it served us forever because although it is not easy, at least we all learned how to do it, what to do in each situation and in the end, it worked.
I understand that the day of his “official” birth is January 2… And that?
Yes, we girls chose it. Because we have a daughter born on January 1st and the other on January 3rd. Since he was from those days, well, nothing, we decided that it would be on the 2nd so as not to coincide with his birthday. So we have one daughter on the 1st, Lost on the 2nd and the other on the 3rd.
Like another son, let's go...
Of course, like another son! For quite a few years, because now we don't do it as much anymore, we would go to a park near our house, where we would end up meeting people who took their dogs every day. Dogs become more or less friends, with some more, with others less, just like what happens with your children when you take them to the park to play. In the end, you become friends with the owners and it's like a dog club. I'm a little embarrassed to say it, because we have to see what we do for animals and how we love them, but we get to celebrate Lost birthday parties. At one of the gatherings, we invited everyone, we served cava and snacks. I mean, we humans celebrate birthdays, but although, when I explain it, it may seem very ridiculous, I think it is not. Only people who have animals understand this. You love them so much that you also want to share that love, just like we do with children.
You were recently at the Vanity Fair party after the Oscars. If Lost were a movie character... Which one would it be?
Well look, this is nice, it's also something I always say and in my house they will know that this is 100% true. Lost has a very dark, black line around his eyes that gives them shape, as if he were wearing a super eyeliner, which amazes me and gives him an interesting, penetrating and curious look. I always tell him “Boy, if you were female and a woman you would be Cleopatra.” He has a bearing that looks like an Egyptian sphinx. I, who pay attention to the outfits, will tell you that Lost, as a whole, is very proportioned. He has a penetrating gaze and an elegant bearing.
What are the special moments that you and Lost share, exclusively?
The pampering, I pamper him too much and they tell me that too much. They remind me not to do it, but I love treating him like a baby. I don't see anything wrong with doing it either. I mean, we've reached eight years old and I haven't made him stupid with so much pampering... I love giving him massages, touching him very slowly, giving him pleasure because lately, and as he gets older, he purrs like cats. Every time I enter the house and see him, because his bed is right next to the door, like a good guardian, he spreads out on his back because he wants me to cuddle him. There I put myself at his level, I sit on the floor, I remember my yoga teacher and I start pampering him and saying nice things to him.
For me, this is the best thing we share. Not all family members do this. Each one has different dynamics. The one who fulfills the obligations, and I admit that I don't so much, is my husband, because he has always done it with walks, with food, which are the things that in the end the dog values as references, his leader of the pack. . The leader of the pack is my husband. Girls, for their part, have different ways of relating to Lost. I love the little girl, she's not that little, because she's 17 about to turn 18, because they play hide and seek and it's brutal. For me, I love seeing them. Of course, he only does it with her because he has done it since he was little and he has understood this game. She hides all over the house, behind walls, and her uncle goes crazy looking for her. We give him false clues, but he is very smart too, I guess because of his sense of smell. It's hilarious! I didn't know that dogs can play hide and seek and, when I see it, I think about the things and relationships that can be established if you practice them from a young age.
At some point is he able to bring out things in you that you didn't imagine you had?
Yes, yes, yes, yes, but it happens to me with animals in general. Since it is about feelings, it is difficult to put words to it, but it is true that there are many moments in which, just with his presence, or by the way he looks at me, or in moments in which I have been very happy or very sad, you see that he he gets it. It's really exciting, to the max! I don't know how to describe it with more beautiful words than these. It is a connection so intense that I think it can only happen with an animal. It seems to me that with a human we are ashamed, or we set our limits.
With an animal, since it is not going to judge you and also cannot speak, which is the only thing they lack, that connection is possible, which may not be with words, just a look, a presence, resting its head on you . It is very exciting, very intense, beautiful and, in terms of feelings, 100% real. In the joys he does something that fascinates me, and that is that every time someone at home hugs, with a daughter or with a husband... come on, when someone hugs, he gets so happy that he jumps and stays there as if he also wanted the hug. How can you know that this act of two people coming together is equivalent to a moment of love, of passion, what do I know, of all good things? Animals bring out the best in us. The best part, the cuteness. Above all that, tenderness.
Top model, communicator... Does Lost manage to bring out that part of you, as a child, surely forgotten?
Completely! At home they always say that people should see me. I repeat, I put myself at his level because he loves it. For me, those moments are so pleasant that I think it is not only a gift for the soul, but allowing emotions to come out is something very necessary that costs us all a lot, in general. It is difficult for it to happen to us with another human being. With an animal, I repeat, that doesn't even judge you and with whom you don't have to explain anything, that happens, that connection happens. It's brutal because, ugh, you say "how much love there is here and how hard it is sometimes to get it out!" I know Lost perceives it in some way, but I would so like to know that he can 100% understand the love he gives us all.
The biggest scare you've had with him?
He has given us a few, especially when he was little. He's been bitten twice. It seems like he's going to be the bad guy but then they end up biting him. It has happened twice and he is very scary because, in one of them, he looked like he could lose an ear and of course, he bled a lot and it was tremendous. In the initial stages, which we have talked about before, we had to call a handler because he would run away when he saw a bicycle passing by from a distance, thinking that he was hunting. We had to rectify all that behavior because it was a pain to go with him and that's why we wanted to fix it. Recently, until we found what he had, we have been very concerned about his health.
What has it taught you?
He is a very loyal, faithful and dignified dog. Not only because of his bearing, he is a dog that has a lot of dignity, he is the opposite of a lap dog. I mean, my parents have a lapdog, who is super cute, but Lost has his own integrity. This is something that surprises me because I like it that way, I like it as a reference and I think it knows what it wants. It was difficult for me at first because of course, he was not an easy dog, obviously, but I really like how he is because I think he is a good example of life. Be upright and consistent, be that way with yourself and with others, with whoever you have to be.
Has it ever made you think “earth swallow me”?
Well, I will never forget the puppy stage of destroying everything. She destroyed my good brand name shoes, belts, furniture, piss everywhere, curtains, etc. This is funny over time but in the moment... I have never had carpets again because the smell of pee never goes away in my life... Another of the scoundrel things he has done is that, when he was younger and athletic , was a specialist in jumping to the point of catching, in flight, the fuet that, in itself, was hanging very high so that he could not catch it. Still, he came! When we weren't in front of him, he made some jumps worthy of the Cirque du Soleil, so at home they disappeared stuffed into a tube. Each time we put the nail, to hang the sausage, higher and it still arrived.
We laughed because, really, Lost the situation was comical but... Who doesn't like a good fuet?
At home... Who is your favorite?
He is so smart that he knows which favorite to have at all times, for playing, for cuddles, for food, for walks, etc. He knows who he has to approach or avoid to the point of hiding. He is very smart and doesn't need to talk. No, there is a non-verbal that is based on practice and years and that we all know each other very much. He knows who it is that never takes him out for a walk... (I won't name names)..., well, once, once a month, he does. He also knows very well the two older girls' boyfriends, with whom he has established a magnificent and brutal relationship. In fact, when one of the boyfriends' cars show up, he gets excited because he knows that maybe he's going away for the weekend or there's something extra. He identifies each of the characters in the house, fixed and non-fixed.
By the way, what do John Locke, Ben Linus, Kate or Jack Sheppard have to do with him?
Man, how you dominate, how I like it! Also, I would love for you to explain it. When this little dog appeared, behind that air conditioner, and while we were looking for a name for him, my husband and I were hooked, no, the following, on the series Lost. Brutal! Of course, we thought it was super funny to pay tribute to this series while also making the title reference to the situation in which we found it. “Lost” means “Lost” in English and there were people who told us that it was something negative to the point of proposing “Why don't you call it “Found”, which means “found”?” Finally we left him Lost, by name.
At this point, and given our common love for 'Lost', we spent a while talking about the series. With complete confidence I recommend one that, personally, I liked much more than Lost and is not, by any means, as well known. It's also from J.J. Abrams, is titled “Fringe” and is almost a cult series. We agreed that I would see her with her husband and Lost.
The moment of judgment arrives… Complete the sentence… “The time I was wrong about Lost, was”…
We once had a mini turtle, very mini, very small. I don't know who gave it to whom, but that turtle disappeared. Because of the movements and the places she had passed, I thought Lost had eaten her. Of course, at that moment, as a human, you get angry saying “What have you done!?”; I even looked at him as if he were a murderer. Result? The turtle appeared, after a while, so calm. It tasted so bad to me... Sometimes, just like what happens with children, you make some big mistakes thinking that other people do the bad things.
Judit… Tell me a secret of yours…
Look, there is a secret, a little secret, but for him it is very important and only I do it to him. At this time of year, I still have enough vacuum-packed packages of good ham, which I have received for Christmas as a gift from my parents for years. Since they don't know what to give, I tell them that I would like a leg of ham, if possible, cut and vacuum-packed in small packages. Sometimes it lasts until summer because I have it saved, hidden, and I take it out in dribs and drabs, when we have cool dinners with friends or as a couple. When I take out this ham, there are parts that have too much fat for my taste. I know they say that's where the good flavor is, but I normally cut out that fat. When the dog, even though he is very far away, hears the scissors in the kitchen, and as if he knew it was the ham, that this only happens from time to time, he appears at full speed, sits in front, looks at me with a sad face, With that face of a sphinx but of pity, he behaves extremely well and I, with complete calm, give him all those little pieces of fat. I don't give him those synthetic sweets, but I do give him that fat.
We stayed talking for a while longer about 'Lost' and those unique moments that animals offer us. Also, we remember the last time we saw each other. At that moment, the talk focused on her, who, as you can imagine, is a person about whom there is also a lot to talk, remember and discover. Like when James Bond himself, Pierce Brosnan, asked him for a cigarette, but well... That's another story.
