XIAO QAING

Xiao Qiang meant strong male according to the Chinese lady who lived west of us on 21st Street. That year, the Christmas cards read we hope your Christmas is wonderful; personally, I would like a puppy in my stocking. The front of the card had a West Highland White Terrier on it.

To my knowledge, no one new about my wish. I had wished it, said it, and the postman send the wish to around 50 addresses. I have nothing time stamped to say when the Japanese Chin /mix was purchased at the pet shop. I do know the owners kept the dog and let him run with beagles and big dogs until Christmas Eve day.

This story is not so much about what this dog with many pet names looked like, it is the answer to the question about how I found out about the dog. The question was asked by Mayank in a video made for me by my children, which included

Rachel
Jaeme
Bud
Shilpa
Ryen
Nate
Mayank

who were all sitting in a group and video taped a message to wish us a Happy Thanksgiving.

From the back, sitting on the stairs, Mayank asked to know the true story about how I found out I got a dog for Christmas in 1982. Bud told me 'straight out', he says. Rachel says he did not. Ryen said he wasn't in on it, it was between Bud and Rachel.

Now we have to realize that each of us may remember the memory in a different way. What I do remember is there was a lot of fuss about going into Rachel's room. The door was also shut, which only happened when she was studying. That gave me clue that something was in there that was not wrapped, yet something that really excited the kids. I knew this because when they came out of the room, they were glowing. They also did not simply open the door and walk out, rather, they squeezed through as if to keep something inside. Was it a Westie, like the front of the card?

Bud did not say, "YOU ARE GETTING A DOG FOR CHRISTMAS" but what he did do as we sat at the table eating Christmas Eve supper was to pant as if he were a dog. In a quiet moment, I heard whining, scratching, and barking.

Xiao came to the table and sat in my lap as we finished dinner. I fed him turkey off my plate.

I visited Grace Wong, the Chinese professor the next day. She was very ill with cancer. I asked her what strong male was in Chinese. Today, I am reading that XIAO means end blown flute, and Qiang means spear. Yet, greater than a quarter of a century later, I am not dismayed. I am fondly remembering the dog who was loved and had many names.

He became:

Shing a ling
Chowie (soft c)
Shing
Chow! (soft c)
Shingy

As a post script for clues by body movement, one needs to add Bud's mime for the earrings Rachel got for Christmas!