AN AMERICAN AND CHINESE THANKSGIVING

It’s almost Thanksgiving. Time to eat too much turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes with gravy, and pumpkin pie. We celebrate with family and friends and pay homage to the pilgrims who made it through the first harsh winter in their new home with the help of the local Native Americans. It’s a time for reflection and giving thanks for all our blessings and good fortune throughout the past year.

In “Good Fortune” I wrote about Thanksgiving from two perspectives. The first is when Michael and Jennie go to Eric and Susan’s house for dinner. The second is what’s happening in the Chow household across town.

Thanksgiving is the first time Eric and Susan meet Jennie, Michael’s newest girlfriend. Michael is a confirmed bachelor who never commits to any relationship. When he senses things are becoming serious he breaks up with whoever he’s dating. The mere fact he’s bringing someone he’s recently met to meet his best (happily married) friends is a big step for him.

For Anna living in Chinatown, her husband Wu is treating Thanksgiving like any other work day. He leaves her alone all day to care for his father and their two young sons who were born in the United States and are completely Americanized. Dennis and William are excited about Thanksgiving and Anna’s hopes to have a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner with her family are crushed because Wu refused to stay home from work.

Page 246 begins:

Susan and Jennie took an instant liking to each other and within minutes of their introduction, chatted in the kitchen like old friends. Their compatible personalities, similar style of dress, sense of humor and shared worldview made them an instant hit with each other. As kindred spirits, they discussed their respective careers while they worked side by side completing preparations for the holiday feast.

The turkey received a round of applause when it came out of the oven, and Susan took a well-deserved bow. The small group gathered around the candlelit table resplendent with all the traditional mouthwatering Thanksgiving fare. With full hearts and hearty appetites, they toasted the holiday, their plans for the future and each other. Then the feasting began. Nearly an hour later, after shamelessly stuffing themselves with generous second portions of everything followed by Jennie’s sumptuous pumpkin pie and coffee, the ladies retired upstairs to the room set aside for the nursery.

Rubbing her full stomach, Susan showed Jennie, who was loosening her belt, the wallpaper swatches she had selected to choose from.

“I like the one with the cloud border around the ceiling,” Jennie said.

“That's my first choice, too.”

Now they were away from the men and couldn't be overheard, Susan confided in Jennie.

“The other morning Michael was talking about you, and I could tell he really likes you a lot.”

Jennie smiled. “I like him, too.”

“He hasn't been involved with anyone since he broke up with his last girlfriend a couple of years ago. The women he dates are usually gone before you know it. But I know he's getting serious about you.”

“That's good because I’m very attracted to him. I think I could get serious about him, too. How did the three of you meet?”

“Eric and Michael knew each other years before I came along. They were college roommates. From the stories I’ve heard, during their hippie days they were a wild pair. Back then you probably wouldn’t have given Michael a second glance. I know I wouldn’t have looked at Eric twice.”

“I can just imagine those two with long hair and tie-dyed shirts and bellbottoms.”

“Don’t forget the love beads.”

They shared a good laugh.

“As to how we met? Would you believe on a blind date?”

“Really?” Jennie’s eyes widened. “I’ve never gone on one of those, never wanted to.”

“Me either, but my friends were so persistent they wore me down until I agreed to do it. They must have known Eric and I would be good together because I was hooked on our first date.”

Jennie lowered her voice to practically a whisper. “I'll tell you something in confidence, but you must promise not to tell Eric.”

“I promise,” Susan said, crossing her heart. “I love secrets.”

“When I opened the door tonight and saw Michael standing there smiling that sexy smile of his, I felt butterflies in my stomach.”

“Oh, I love that. I remember those butterflies when Eric and I first began dating. Why is it they don't last? Now instead of butterflies I look as if I've got a beach ball in here.” Susan clasped her hands beneath her expanding belly.

“What are you two ladies laughing about up here? What's all this girl talk anyway?” Eric chided, barging in from the hall.

“Oh, you know, the usual. We were talking about men, what else?” Susan shot back.

“I should've known. Well, these two men request your company downstairs. We want to play Truth or Dare. Are you both up to the challenge?”

“You bet!”

When the evening drew to a close and it was time to leave, Jennie and Susan hugged each other and promised to keep in touch. As Michael bent over to kiss Susan goodbye, she whispered, “She’s a keeper. Don’t screw this up.”

“I won’t,” he promised.

During the drive back to Jennie's apartment, Michael had visions of making passionate love to her until the sun came up. He was aching to live out the fantasy he’d been having about her since the night they went dancing. Jennie had been having her own similar thoughts, so imagine her surprise and dismay when her younger sister flung open the door at the sound of their approaching footsteps.

Miles away in Chinatown, Anna’s Thanksgiving isn’t going well. She’s angry and frustrated with her husband:

Page 250:

Thanksgiving in the Chow household was not much different from any other night. Good Fortune was open for business, and Wu was there to manage it. Alone in her kitchen, Anna roasted a turkey and prepared Chinese stuffing of soy sauce, ginger, mushrooms, chestnuts and sticky rice. She also prepared traditional American side dishes of cranberry sauce, peas, and mashed potatoes and gravy for Dennis and William who were completely Americanized and excited about the holiday. At school their class learned about the Indians and how they helped the settlers get through the first winter. They made Thanksgiving turkeys for the table from pine cones and construction paper.

The boys could barely wait to eat and while dinner cooked, they complained it was taking too long. Now seated at the table, they wolfed down their food while Tong picked at the turkey and vegetables on his plate until Anna noticed he wasn't eating. She brought him a dish of beef and noodles hastily warmed in the microwave. He thanked her and picked up his chopsticks. Wu never made it home in time to join them at the dinner table.

Anna was torn between two worlds. Her sons were born in the United States and knew only this country and its ways, but like Wu, she had been born in China. She still retained fond childhood memories of her affectionate aunties far across the ocean, and her sparrow-like elderly grandmother who grew all her own vegetables and cooked everything over hot stones in the backyard. Leaving them behind had been hard on her, especially on holidays.

Anna never doubted that Wu was a devoted husband, yet he never seemed to be able to spend enough time at home anymore with her and the boys. Over time she grew used to it, but that night she felt especially lonely and resentful because she knew of other Chinese families who, like other Americans, were assembled and celebrating Thanksgiving with their children. While she was alone in the kitchen putting away the leftovers, Anna longed for her mother who moved to Los Angeles so her father could be near his brothers, with whom he jointly owned a bakery and two laundromats. It wasn't often she felt this way, but why couldn't Wu have stayed home tonight just this once?

By the time he finally did arrive, it was late and the boys had been put to bed hours ago. Anna was seated at her dressing table brushing her hair and was still feeling annoyed, as her image in the mirror clearly reflected. Upon entering the bedroom, Wu immediately noticed the anger etched on her face and was confounded to see it, because one thing he could always count on when he came home from work was that Anna would be happy to see him and greet him with a kiss and a smile.

Sensing that something was vexing her, he braced himself for an argument while attempting to act casual. He came up behind her and kissed her gently on top of her head where her hair parted; this gesture annoyed her beyond words.

How dare he!

Angrily, Anna removed his hands and got off her stool, wheeling around to face him with an angry scowl.

“Why couldn't you have stayed home with us just this once?” she accused. “I tried to make it a nice Thanksgiving for the boys, but how nice could it be without their father here to celebrate with them? The restaurant didn't need you tonight, but they did. You've got your priorities all mixed up!”

“You know I always work on Thanksgiving. It's not my holiday so why shouldn't I be at the restaurant?” Wu defended himself. “I’m not the only one who isn’t celebrating. The restaurant was busy tonight.”

“Because your sons don't share your feelings, that's why. They were born here, and they know all about the Pilgrims and the Indians and the first Thanksgiving. Their teachers taught them that our people are just like the Pilgrims who crossed the ocean and came here to make a new life for themselves. Tonight I fixed turkey and mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce and . . . oh what's the use!”

Anna flung her brush down and stalked off toward the bathroom to have a good cry, but Wu came after her and held her at arm’s length.

“I had no idea how strongly you felt about this. Why didn't you tell me before?”

“Do I have to spell out everything for you? You knew I was preparing Thanksgiving dinner and the boys brought home those cute turkeys they made at school from pine cones. You could have scheduled someone else to run things tonight, or better yet, you could have stayed home all day with us.”

“You know I can’t do that.”

“See what I mean?”

Michael and Wu’s lives parallel, but from opposite directions. Michael never commits to anyone he dates. When Susan whispers in his ear “don't screw this up” she suspects he will do the same thing with Jennie.  He has no desire to get married and has always been candid about that. In contrast, Wu is married and has a loving family, yet he’s letting work interfere with his relationship with his wife and sons. He doesn't appreciate what he has and takes them for granted.

Will Michael and Wu change? Both are driven to succeed, but at what price? Purchase "Good Fortune" and find out what happens. For the past few weeks it has been in the top 100 on Amazon in the genre of Visionary Fiction. If your library doesn't have it let them know it's in other libraries and can be ordered from the catalog.

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WISHING YOU AND YOURS A HAPPY VERY THANKSGIVING AND GOOD FORTUNE!

Leslie Bratspis

FOREVER YOUNG

It happens before you know it. A glance in the mirror shows the beginning of age lines. Traces of gray hair have suddenly cropped up. You awake one morning, get out of bed and feel aches and pains in your joints when you walk. While shaving or moisturizing, you observe your neck is starting to look like a wattle. You can’t stop it. Aging is part of living and if you consider the alternative, a few wrinkles and some joint aches aren’t so bad. But why, you lament, why can’t you stay young forever? This is a question people have pondered for centuries while searching for eternal youth. British author James Hilton wrote of Shangri-La in his novel “Lost Horizon.” He created the residents of Shangri-La as almost immortal, living years beyond the normal lifespan while they aged slowly in appearance. For thousands of years tales of a fountain of youth have been written. Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon was searching for the fountain of youth when he traveled to what is now Florida.

“Forever Young”

By Bob Dylan

"May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young."

We’re bombarded every day with messages to eat healthy foods, take vitamins, exercise, don’t smoke, apply sunscreen before going outside. Tummy tucks, liposuction, facelifts and laser treatments pay college tuition for dermatologist’s kids. I do my best to cook whole foods, moisturize with SPF 30, get regular exercise and floss at night. But I admit there are times when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and don’t recognize myself. I still feel like a twenty year old inside but the reality is, I’m not.

In “Good Fortune” I write about Michael’s and Wu’s feelings about the changes they see in their outward appearance as they realize they’re aging. I introduce Michael after he’s suddenly laid off his executive job and finds himself literally thrown into a pool of much younger job seekers who have a definite edge over him. He confesses his frustration to his friend Eric:

“Going on job interviews at my age sucks. Twenty applicants show up for one lousy opening. Most of them are kids compared to me. Hell, I’m twice their age. I feel old and . . . well . . . useless. Like my time has come and gone and there’s no future for me anymore.”

“Bullshit. You've got experience, those kids have got acne.”

Michael placed his spoon on the table and stared at it for a few seconds, and then his eyes met Eric’s. “Well, a lot of good a clear complexion does me. I haven't had a single response to the resumes I've submitted.”

Later, when he’s contemplating whether or not to take a temporary job while he’s figuring out how he’s going to open his own business, Michael steps from the shower and regards his image:

            Above the bathroom sink, steam misted the mirror blocking his reflection. He used the corner of his towel and rubbed a circle in the middle; his reflection stared back at him. It was apparent his recent setback had taken its toll because his face looked slightly older. He noticed a certain edge to his expression that wasn’t there before, enhanced by the small worry lines that had begun to form between his eyebrows. Well, there was nothing he could do about that. Since he would be interviewing soon, he hoped his life experience and maturity would count in his favor.

Like Michael, Wu is facing his own personal challenges and one morning while shaving, he notices how the passage of time is changing him.

            While he lathered up to shave, Wu scrutinized his reflection in the bathroom mirror and noticed the beginning of fine age lines fanning his eyes that would inevitably turn into deep wrinkles like his father's. He was struck with the harsh realization that time was passing for him, too.

Beyond the cosmetic changes Wu observes in himself, he has deep feelings about his father growing old. He expresses his concern, but his father has a quite different perspective:

“Son, I appreciate your concern about my health, but you must accept the fact that all men grow old. I cannot prevent time from passing, and if I could, I wouldn’t want to. Life has its own rhythm that conforms to our daily existence. It changes with us as we grow and mature. For most of my life I have worked hard, and now, I am getting ready to slow down my pace and take the needed time to rest. I have earned that right, which did not come easily. Do not deny an old man the reward he has labored toward his entire life.”

Until that moment, Wu hadn't realized how much he had taken his father for granted, or that he wanted him to remain healthy and vigorous so he would never die and leave him, like his mother. Even though they clashed for years, his father was always there, a solid presence he now recognized he would lose. This sudden realization forced him to acknowledge that as much as he wanted to change the course of life and keep his father forever young, he knew it was beyond his human power to do so.

Accept the change; that's what Father is saying. I’ll try, but it feels as if he is asking too much of me.

Sensing Wu's distress, Tong addressed his son in a calm voice. “In due time, your own sons will become grown men who will feel all that you are experiencing now as you observe how old and withered this body of mine has become. If you can learn acceptance of old age and how it transforms those you love who were once strong and full of spirit into frail tired souls, when it becomes necessary, you will be able to guide your boys with love and compassion as they struggle to accept the changes they perceive in you, when you follow in my footsteps.”

Wu approached his father’s bed. “If that's what you wish, Father, I'll try. But please be honest. Is it only old age that ails you? If you are suffering any pain, any pain at all, I want you to see the acupuncturist.” When Tong protested, Wu added, “At least let Anna brew you some medicinal tea to make you feel better.”

Tong wouldn't hear of it. “Nonsense! Occasionally my joints ache, but I have nothing hurting me in the way you fear. I’m slowing down, so if I work less and keep myself warm, that will be my best tonic. My biggest comforts in life now are a bowl of hot noodles and watching my grandsons tumble on the floor the way Cho and I once did when we were boys.”

It was impossible for Wu to imagine the two old men as young rambunctious boys and he smiled at the thought of his own sons being the same as his Uncle Cho and Father once were.

Yes, we were all young children who took our youth for granted. Now that we’re older and wiser, let’s be accepting of the aging process and the knowledge that brings us. If you have unfinished business with someone, do what you can to make peace between you while you still have the opportunity. After exchanging harsh words with his father, Wu watches him walk away:

Tong turned his back on his son. On the way to his room his slippers made an angry slapping sound on the wooden floor. With sorrow, Wu watched his father walk away thinking how he always looked old and tired, but that night especially, he detected something more, something beyond the usual air of sadness surrounding him, something that had made him unapproachable. He knew he was helpless to stop his father's grieving for his long-departed mother. Nor was he able to stop the inevitable changes that accompany aging. Time was fading the old man into the shadows, and Wu’s chance to mend the cracks in their relationship before his father’s death seemed impossibly out of reach. The realization consumed him with grief.

I choose to view aging as a positive experience. Wrinkles tell our life stories and should be cherished. Aches and pains remind me I’m alive. Each day I repeat these words: “I make peace within myself and let go of anger towards those who are unapproachable and unyielding. I’m mindful of the blessings each morning brings when I awake, and I give thanks for this day.”

Yours in good fortune,

Leslie Bratspis

Author

"Good Fortune" is available on Amazon.com & Kindle, Barnes & Noble.com & Nook
Goodreads.com & Smashwords.com
http://www.amazon.com/Leslie-Bratspis/e/B005EJ438W

CAN YOU SPARE SOME CHANGE?

No, I don’t want your money! What I mean is, can you spare some time to reflect and look at what’s going on in your life that needs to change, and then do whatever it takes to make that happen? Here's an example. I constantly rushed around and became so accustomed to being stressed out that stress became my “normal.” Monday through Friday I left the house an hour early to make a commute in congested traffic that shouldn’t have taken more than twenty minutes. By the time I arrived at work I was so keyed up the mood was set for the day and I couldn't slow down. Year after year my husband and I both worked ourselves into a state of exhaustion until one of us realized we had to take a vacation before the pace we were keeping had a negative impact on our health. It was a wake-up call that brought me to my senses and sprung me into action. I booked our flight to Kauai, a car, and rented a condo in Poipu Beach. The next morning I informed my boss when we were going and I arranged for a temp to cover me in my absence. I was so firm when I told her our plans I didn't get any resistance.

The morning of our departure the airport shuttle came for us fifteen minutes late and freeway traffic was making such slow progress I was sure we wouldn’t make it to the airport in time. My heart pounded until we arrived. After we checked our bags and passed through security we went to a restaurant for breakfast. I kept checking my watch, impatient to board the plane. My husband’s cell phone rang—a business call—life as usual. 

 ~

We arrived! My husband knew the way to Poipu Beach and drove us directly to the condo. On the way, I drank in the sunlight, awed by the deep red soil and lush vegetation. Ancient mountains in the distance dotted the countryside. Kauai is a paradise where papaya trees grow alongside the road and tropical flowers bloom everywhere. By the time we drove beneath the tree tunnel I knew we were almost at our destination.


I was anxious to get settled and felt it took the clerk much too long to check us in. Our internal clocks were operating from totally different perspectives. The condo was beautifully furnished and had a spectacular ocean view. I opened the sliding glass door and the breeze caressed my face. The sound of breaking waves and the rustle of palm trees embraced me and felt like a soothing balm. Tropical birds sang, “padda pah pah, padda pah pah.”

Almost in a trance, I settled back on the couch and said to my husband, “I remember this; now I remember this feeling. I haven’t felt this way since the last time we were here.” My shoulders relaxed and the nervousness poured from my body like running water, replaced by a feeling of inner peace and well-being. I’d surrendered to island time. I was being mindful and living in the moment.

 ~

Two characters in Good Fortune, Michael Hamilton and Wu Chow, are over-achievers. They focus only on work and neglect the rest of their lives. When Michael gets laid off he's completely lost and doesn’t know how to process what's happened. Several weeks later when he meets Jennie Greene at a bookstore and invites her to coffee, they talk about themselves and Jennie is such a good listener he makes a confession.

             “Until a few weeks ago I was an executive at an advertising firm. My job dominated my life. Now I don’t know what to do with myself and all this free time.” He adds, “I was so busy I didn't even allow myself time off to take a real vacation. Work became my identity.”

Later, at his friend Eric Brewer’s house, Michael talks to his wife Susan, a licensed therapist. Susan listens as he expresses his feelings about losing his job and his frustration with his situation. Susan says:

           “I don’t want to make you feel worse. Look, the important thing to recognize is, by driving yourself to achieve in school and business, you were so driven to succeed that you didn’t leave yourself enough time to develop your personal life. What have you got without your career that defines who you are now?”

“Nothing,” he admitted. He averted his eyes for a moment. “It’s depressing, but I don’t know what to do and I’m feeling kind of lost. Everything I was—or thought I was—is gone.”

 ~

Wu’s circumstance is the mirrored image of Michael’s, exactly the same but opposite. He has a wife and sons and manages Good Fortune family restaurant. His job is secure and even though he can make his own schedule, instead of taking time off to be with his family he chooses instead to work long hours and neglect them as the excerpt below reveals.

Anna and the boys spent a lot of time without him despite the fact the restaurant was so successful he no longer had to prove himself to anyone. Instead of celebrating his achievement with his wife and children, he imposed pressure on himself, believing only he was qualified to run things at the level he wanted. He forgot his father’s lesson: “Learn to delegate authority to others. They will appreciate the opportunity to earn your trust.”

At night he played host in the dining room, networked parties, and bought customers drinks. He put in so many hours at work he rarely, if ever, was home for dinner anymore.

Wu’s father, Tong, waits patiently for the right moment to confront him. When it finally comes he says:

“For years I have watched you work tirelessly in your effort to amass more and more money for the future, never seeing what it cost you in the present. You achieved affluence years ago. Nonetheless, you have felt driven to accumulate a greater fortune without realizing the irony of your endeavor to obtain what you already have.”

Michael and Wu both have to make life altering decisions and change their priorities. They each have important life lessons to learn while they embark on personal journeys and discover how to overcome difficult challenges. Tong's gentle wisdom will guide them in totally different ways.  Please read Good Fortune and find out what happens.

When facing your own life challenges, I wish you success in reaching your goals toward good fortune.

Leslie Bratspis, Author
Good Fortune

Good Fortune is available on Amazon.com, Kindle, Barnes&Noble.com,  Nook & Smashwords.com 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Fortune-Leslie-Bratspis/dp/1611700280/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334187175&sr=1-1
http://www.rp-author.com/bratspis
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12242462-good-fortune

https://twitter.com/#!/LeslieBratspis

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year! I’m glad to be writing another blog entry because I got so busy towards the year’s end I didn’t have time to write. Now that I’m snowbound I'm anxious to share some exciting news. Last week I was notified GOOD FORTUNE was chosen for February’s read for the Gig Harbor Welcome Club Book Club II. I’m thrilled and honored they chose my novel and I look forward to meeting the members at their next meeting. Spurred by their interest, I opened an account with Goodreads.com and already have two 5-star reviews posted! Woo-hoo! (Please feel free to add yours.) When I wrote GOOD FORTUNE I hoped my readers would enjoy it, and the feedback I’ve received has made me realize my dream. Thank you so much for your support. To read all my reviews go to:

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Fortune-Leslie-Bratspis/product-reviews/1611700280/ref=sr_1_1_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Most of us make new year's resolutions—save money, join a gym, take a fabulous vacation, lose weight, volunteer etc., but when Wu’s wife, Anna, prepares to celebrate the Chinese New Year the first thing she does is shop for her family. Once again, she and Wu are hosting New Year’s Eve dinner at their house and all the close members of the Chow family will assemble to enjoy the six course feast prepared by Anna, her sister-in-law Sue and Aunt Ying. But first Anna must clothes shop because it is important her family have new outfits to wear.

Page 271: Since it was traditional to start the Chinese New Year with a smart new outfit, weeks before she began cleaning house in preparation of the guests who would be coming to celebrate New Year's Eve dinner, Anna shopped for her family. As hosts, it was important her family be well-dressed for the holiday. She chose garments of bright red with accents of gold; red to ensure good luck and gold for prosperity, the two most important elements for the upcoming year.

After she shops, Anna tackles the project of cleaning house from top to bottom because as a teenager, she learned the hard way the importance of this task.

Page 272: Anna hummed as she mopped the kitchen floor, smiling and remembering how she used to hate housework. Now, she took enjoyment from keeping the house clean for her family. Her change in attitude began when she was sixteen. Like most teenage girls, she had a rebellious streak; both her mother and fate would rid her of it.

“No! I won't do it!” Anna yelled at her mother. “That's just a dumb superstition someone taught you when you were my age, and I'm going to prove it by leaving my room exactly the way it is.”

Anna's mother pressed her lips together with frustration. “At sixteen you are so sure you know everything. I warn you, Anna, if you don’t clean the mess in your room before the New Year, it will affect your whole life.”

“Do you hear how stupid you sound, Mom?” Anna shook her head with disgust and flopped down on her bed.

“You will have only yourself to blame when your life becomes total chaos,” her mother warned one last time, then slammed the door in anger because Anna put a pillow over her head to drown out the sound of her mother’s nagging.

Anna soon wished she had heeded her mother's ominous prediction, because the next year was the worst year of her life. It started when she came down with a bad case of German measles. After that, she and her best friend began to argue unceasingly. She received a “C” in geometry that ruined her straight “A” average and, as if that weren’t enough, her once regular menstrual cycle became erratic and painful.

After that ill-fated year, Anna always made certain to straighten her room well before the year's end. When she married, she continued the ritual by thoroughly cleaning the entire house from top to bottom, careful not to use a broom three days from New Year’s—a broom sweeps away good luck.

After consuming a delicious six course meal, the Chow family looks forward to the story-telling part of the evening that has become a tradition.

Page 283-286: A hush settled over the room as mothers sat their toddlers on their laps. Older brothers and sisters kept the other youngsters quiet so Tong could address the gathering.

“Tonight we are assembled to celebrate the coming New Year, the Year of the Boar, which has always been one of our most fortuitous years.

“As you know, the boar is a symbol of wealth and family. Since wealth usually involves a certain amount of counting, whether it is in blessings or money, tonight I have chosen to speak about the Chinese system of numbers and our lunar calendar.

“Children are taught to count by using their fingers. However, before there were numbers as we know them today, in a distant time past, three thousand years ago, our ancient ancestors drew lines and symbols to keep track of the days.”

A baby's cry interrupted Tong's speech, and he waited patiently while the mother quieted her infant before he went on.

“A thousand years later our people discovered a way to keep track of the months by watching the changing face of the moon.”

“What about the animal faces, Grandfather? Where did they come from? Was there a giant zoo in the sky?” Dennis wanted to know.

“Ho! A very good question, my little scholar. During the great Han dynasty, each year was matched with an animal name. How many of them can you identify for me?”

Dennis stuck a finger in his mouth and sucked on it while he thought about the answer. “Um . . . I know . . . there's a monkey . . . and a dog . . . and . . . and . . . and a pig.”

“Excellent. I will write out the names of all twelve animals for you. Can you draw a picture for me of each animal next to his name?”

“Don't forget me, Grandfather. I want to draw pictures for you, too,” William chimed in, jumping up and down, which excited the rest of his young cousins who all began to jump and cheer at the same time.

Tong chuckled. “Very well, all of you can learn together. I will give the list to your father. He will make copies at work so you and your cousins can each have one.”

As always, Wu was amazed by his father's broad scope of knowledge and his inspiration for teaching children. “I'd be glad to, Father. How did you learn so much about our calendar?”

“Grandfather passed on all his knowledge to me because he knew I would travel far from home and most likely never return. He made certain to teach me Chinese history so I wouldn’t grow up in a far off place and forget my heritage.”

His father's words made Wu wish he had spent more time learning from him instead of being so single-minded about business. With the approaching New Year, he made a firm resolution to make the time to listen to his seemingly endless store of knowledge, learning what he could while he still had the opportunity to do so. This was a sobering thought to have on New Year's Eve, and he quickly dismissed it, but not without resolving to act upon it.

Uncle Cho spoke up next. “Well then, I have something to share. Would anyone like to hear?”

Encouraged by the group’s cheers, Cho looked around the room, grabbed his full stomach and assumed a teasing voice. “I could not help but notice that all of you ate your fair share of noodles tonight.”

“They were delicious,” a voice called out.

“Wonderful!”

A small utterance came from one of the youngsters. “I love noodles.”

“Very well.” Cho began to articulate in a sing-song voice perfect for telling stories, replete with nuances and colorful descriptions. “Tonight I am going to tell you about the Shuikou noodles that come from the beautiful Shuikou region, where the Chang and the Daning rivers meet. This basin is full of tiny black birds with beautiful red feathered tails. The birds fly within a gorge carpeted with yellow wildflowers. Five hundred years ago, the people of this region made thin round noodles out of wheat flour and limestone spring water. Rumor has it these noodles were so delicious that after one of the Ming emperors first tasted them, he demanded his tribute from the Shuikou region be paid from then on in nothing else but bundles of noodles.”

“Uncle Cho, why didn't you tell me that story when I was your Little Tadpole? I remember every story you ever told me, and that wasn’t one of them,” Wu said.

“Because I didn’t know it until today. Not to be outdone tonight by my older scholarly brother, I searched through my books for an interesting story that would have something to do with food in honor of tonight's feast.”

“Ho! Very wise of you indeed,” chortled Tong. “Just like the old days; still trying to keep up with me.” Then he turned to his beloved aged companion seated beside him. “Now we await Feng to tell us something of interest. What about it, old friend? Is there something you want to share?”

Feng slowly ground out his after-dinner cigarette and nodded his head, smiling with the sly look of someone who concealed a wonderful secret. “You probably expected me to come here on this all-important night unprepared, but your clever son alerted me to have a story ready, and his warning gave me plenty of time to plan ahead.”

Such an unexpected action on the part of Wu made Tong and Cho view him with renewed respect and pride. Apparently, Wu had invested some serious thought into the after-dinner storytelling portion of the evening that began a few years back and had since evolved into a Chow family tradition. Secretly, Tong believed it was the influence of the book of fortunes, whether or not Wu was aware of its effect on him.

“Please begin, Feng,” prompted Wu. “All of us are eager to hear what you have prepared to tell us.”

Feng felt the eyes of the guests in the room upon him and, although he was unable to make out the details of any but the closest faces, he knew these people well and felt comfortable addressing them.

“I spent many years of my life as a keeper of books. What some of you may not know is that in my youth I was also an accomplished calligrapher. I was tutored by a great scholar who taught me the art of calligraphy while also instructing me in its history.”

Only Tong knew about this area of Feng's education and he listened intently, wondering what he was going to say next.

“In ancient China the art of calligraphy was held in the highest esteem by the whole population, educated and illiterate, rich and poor. Calligraphy soared to a stature above all other forms of art because it had the most profound spiritual value attached to it. Over hundreds of years, various scripts evolved. To the student, it is easy to recognize and differentiate, for example, between Kaiti, Caoshu, Shaoer, Lishu, Weibi, and Xiaozhuan. These different styles represent not only the distinct stages in the evolution of our written language but serve as a record to preserve our past. A fact all you young people should take pride in is that your Chinese ancestors invented paper eleven centuries before the western world.”

Feng folded his hands in his lap, which indicated he had concluded.

The difference varies between cultures as they celebrate New Year according to their traditions, but what they share in common is gathering with friends and family and celebrating with hope the next year will bring good health, happiness and good fortune.

I wish you all the best!

Leslie