A “Tiger” Comes to My Home from Afar

2005-2-19

By Shuqin

Preface: The Adorable “Little Tiger”

Little Tiger (English name: Aaron) accompanied his father, Shi Bin, from Canada back to China for a family visit from May 29 to June 18, 2004. These twenty days left us with beautiful memories. His adorable demeanor and every word and action captivated us completely. He was a thoughtful child, and his witty remarks left an unforgettable impression on all of us.

Whenever our family gathers or talks on the phone, the topic always circles back to Little Tiger. When we returned home for the National Day holiday, his grandfather took out the photo album; as we sat together looking at photos and sharing stories, the whole family had turned into “Little Tiger fans.” In moments of leisure, his innocent words and deeds often surface in my mind. I have compiled his most brilliant quotes into this article so everyone can share in this pure joy with me.

Little Tiger just turned four this year. Born in Canada, this was his first visit to China, brought by his father. When we heard the news, we felt a mix of worry and excitement. We worried: traveling such a long distance for the first time without his mother, in an unfamiliar place—what if he threw a tantrum? Yet, we were excited to see our little nephew, who had grown up in a foreign land, and to share in the family joy.

In fact, our worries were unnecessary, and our joy was doubled. To see him sooner, his grandfather and aunt arrived at my home ahead of time. At 7:00 PM on May 29, Da Guo drove with his father and Shi Xiong to the airport to pick up Shi Bin and Little Tiger. Shi Juan, Xu Li, and I had been waiting at home, ready with supplies. We wanted to see him the moment he arrived; we kept in touch by phone, and as soon as the car pulled into the courtyard, I ran downstairs to welcome them.

Scenes from Our First Met

Scene 1: Sitting on the Stairs, Refusing to Enter

I carefully observed Little Tiger: he wore a denim jacket and blue shorts with little red flowers, and his newly shaven crew cut made him look spirited. Though not chubby, he was sturdy and had bright, intelligent eyes.

I carried the drowsy Little Tiger out of the car, whispering to him. He didn’t feel like a stranger; though he didn’t talk, his eyes were friendly. However, when I opened the door, Xu Lili—tall and large, with golden hair and a green floral dress—rushed over to greet him. Her unique appearance startled Little Tiger. He was so frightened that he ran back, sat on the stairs, and cried for his father until Shi Bin came to carry him inside.

Scene 2: His Shy Side is Also Cute

Because we were still strangers, he was quite shy—head down, fidgeting with his hands, refusing to let go of Shi Bin’s hand. In the days that followed, he showed similar reactions whenever he met new people.

Scene 3: “There is a Doctor Downstairs”

Little Tiger adapted quickly, playing beanbags with his grandfather and table tennis with his uncle. Everyone was exhausted, but Little Tiger was buzzing with energy, even during dinner. Past midnight, he was still running around. Fearing we would disturb the neighbors, I told him, “There is a doctor downstairs.” It worked immediately! From then on, whenever he acted up, all I had to do was point downward, and he would say, “There is a doctor downstairs.”

Little Tiger’s Favorite Words

Scene 4: Calling Fish Food “Fishman”

He liked speaking English. When I spoke it, he was happy, but when he spoke, we couldn’t understand him. After saying “pardon” repeatedly, he would eventually slow down and speak Chinese. I took him to see the fish, and he told me he used to have fish at home in Canada. I told him they were goldfish, but he said, “No, it’s gofish.” I asked what fish food was called, and he said “fishman.” I laughed, teasing him for confusing a fisherman with fish food. Shi Bin explained there was a snack in Canada called “fishman.”

Scene 5: “I Like It”

Everything seemed rare and precious to him, and his catchphrase was “I like it.” He loved playing with Zhang Shuang’s electric chick and the windmill. He took a liking to an accessory of Shuang’s and asked me whose it was. When I said it was hers, he said, “This is for a kid to play with, not for a ‘Second Kid’—I want it.” Shi Bin joked, “He thinks everyone in your family is ‘Second’—Second Aunt, Second Uncle, and the kid is the ‘Second Kid’.” He also liked the new pillowcase I put out for him and asked for two, saying he wanted to take them back to Canada.

Fun Times at Phoenix Mountain

• “Oops, a stone got into my shoe!” While camping at Mopan Mountain, Tiger stopped suddenly, his face turning red while muttering something. I didn’t understand, so I said “slowly.” When I said “pardon,” he got impatient and said clearly: “Oops, a stone got into my shoe!” I felt ashamed that despite studying English, I couldn’t understand his simple sentence.
• “I want to sleep with Second Aunt, Daddy, and Grandpa.” When it was time to sleep, Tiger cried and insisted on sleeping with me, his father, and his grandfather, giving everyone a good laugh.
• “Grandpa, be good and drink it.” When he needed to pee, I used a basin to catch it. His grandfather joked that “boy’s urine is good for health.” I teased Tiger to give it to his grandfather and say: “Grandpa, be good and drink it.” He walked up to his grandfather with a mischievous grin and said, “Grandpa, give me a little pleasure, just drink it.” We all burst into laughter.
• “Second Aunt, carry me.” The mountain trail was built with wooden planks with large gaps, which was hard for a small child. When we realized the peak was too far, we turned back to rest and play. On the way down, Tiger was exhausted; every few steps he would look at me and whisper, “Second Aunt, carry me.” Even though I was tired, seeing his little face, I gritted my teeth and carried him all the way down.
• “Daddy has been in the bathroom for so long.” While we were at the Grand Canyon, Tiger fell asleep. When he woke up and didn’t see his father, I told him, “Shi Bin went to the bathroom.” When I returned from the bathroom later, Tiger said thoughtfully, “Daddy has been in the bathroom for such a long time.”
• Little Tiger finally cried. On the drive back, after a long day of travel, the car got separated from the group. Tiger was exhausted, sweating and clearly suffering. When we finally reached home at midnight, Shi Qin tried to wrap him in a blanket, but he refused and cried his heart out. I felt heartbroken, regretting that I had brought him on such a long journey.

The Story of the Shoes

• “I want pink shoes.” To welcome him, Shi Juan and I crocheted slippers. The green ones were too tight, leaving red marks on his feet. When I asked if they were good, he said, “I like pink, a little bigger than these.” We were surprised he cared so much about color!
• “I want roller skates.” One day, I tested the waters: “Tiger, let’s go buy roller skates.” He didn’t say a word and just grabbed my hand. We searched through the hot, crowded streets, and he never gave up. When we finally found a pair of pink and white samples in a sports store, he started skating right there. He was a beautiful sight, attracting everyone’s attention. He loved those skates so much and even showed them off to everyone back home.

Tidbits of Little Tiger

• “I want to eat dried tofu with sauce.” He loved this local snack so much that whenever he was hungry, he would just say: “I want to eat dried tofu with sauce.”
• Counting and Writing Numbers. Tiger’s English counting was very pleasant. He could count up to 2000, but he always wrote the number “4” upside down.
• “I thought this was someone else’s car!” When we went to visit Uncle Gaoyang, he was shy and silent, but when he saw us waiting in the car, he ran over excitedly and shouted, “Second Uncle, I thought this was someone else’s car!”
• “Where is Second Aunt? I want a hodo.” He called hot dogs “hodos.” He would eat them with yogurt and say, “I’m eating and drinking at the same time.”
• Playing with puzzles. When I praised him for being smart, he said, “Second Uncle wouldn’t let me do it the other day.” I was so annoyed with his uncle for being too strict with him!
• “I like this one.” When picking photos, he pointed to one where he had his mouth closed and said, “I like this one—I look serious.” He truly had his own ideas.
• Playful Tiger. He loved to ride on his Second Uncle’s back while he scrubbed the floor. He didn’t know much about being shy; he would walk around without clothes and show off his physique. When we teased him, he would say, “My sorry is very effective.”

Small Child, Wise Soul, Dignified Heart

He noticed the change in his uncle’s hairstyle between day and night, asking, “Second Uncle, why can your head be taken off?” He was very comfortable at our home and once suggested, “Put wheels and a steering wheel on your house and drive it to Canada!”

When he was pushed to the ground while playing, he cried, but later he said, “Second Uncle, you just hurt my eyes.” His uncle felt so ashamed for losing his temper. He loved his sister, Sha Sha, and would cry whenever she left. He also loved a pair of yellow and gray headphones, claiming they made him feel like a robot. I felt angry at his uncle for teasing him too harshly about them once, because he was such a sensitive child.

When he saw our family of three, he asked, “Second Uncle, why are you a family?” When we asked him why, he replied, “Our family has always been like this.” What a profound, famous remark! When the wooden door in his room fell down accidentally, he argued, “Doors are for opening during the day and closing at night, they shouldn’t just be sitting there!” It was the adults’ fault, not the child’s!

Blood is Thicker than Water: A Sister’s Love

On June 16, Zhang Shuang returned from the UK. When Tiger saw her at the airport, he became shy, hiding behind my back. That night, they kept talking, and he didn’t want to sleep. The next day was his birthday; he wore a vest Shuang bought him and took many photos. Tiger and Zhang Shuang were very close! Just as Shuang had returned, Tiger had to leave. On the morning of the 18th, they returned home. Over those twenty days, Little Tiger received such generous help from so many people. We hadn’t played enough, and Tiger didn’t want to leave. At the airport, his grandfather felt a deep sense of sadness, not knowing when he would see his little grandson again.

Postscript: Fragments of Words After Returning Home

“I’m changing kindergartens, it’s on the east side—it has a TV and lots of things to play with.”

Reciting a tongue twister on the phone: “Dogs bite oil-barrels and they leak; dogs don’t bite oil-barrels and they don’t leak; the more dogs bite, the more the oil-barrels leak.”

“Daddy, drive the car faster, make it fly, fly to Second Aunt’s house in China.”

“Grandpa, I miss you; I want the jumping candy like the one in Wuchang.”