It was just after seeing this film that Jia Chen and I were taken by an American to a farmer's market and in a box I saw some kittens. Jia Chen explained to me that it was not usual to keep cats as house pets in China. Neverthless she agreed that I could bring a kitten home. I chose the black one and deceided to name her Xie Fang, after the actress who played the good sister. Li Kai and Jia Chen were shocked. I hurried to explain that I didn't mean any disrespect, but I was naming the kitten in honor of the actress. Sometimes I would see Jia Chen playing with Xie Fang by letting the kitten fight with her foot.
One day, when I was sitting watching TV with my girlfriend Linda in the living room, there came a horrible shrieking and squealing and clattering through the house. The kitten, Xie Fang, shot into the living room with something shiny and noisy jerking after her. A white-faced Li Kai came behind raising his hands and calling weakly, "Oh no!"
As a joke he had tied his keys to the cat's tail and caused Xie Fang to go into a hysterical, terrified panic, running with the keys vilely chasing her. I held the struggling, palpitating cat, who dug her claws deep into me in her rage and horror, while Linda managed to disentangle the keys and Li Kai hopped from foot to foot agonizing and apologizing. I hoped the pain Xie Fang inflicted on me would somehow extract her terror, and as I held her, I tried also to look up at Li Kai and reassure him - it was all going to be OK.
Photos in Chronological Order
Map/Diagram of Story Elements