I told my daughter (she was going to an elementary school at the time) about the puppy. Her classmate "A-mei" was willing to adapt the puppy from the market. On a Sunday, we went to the market with great excitement.

As I was looking for her, Mile-8 came to us waggling her tail. I presented Mile-8 to A-mei's father. He shook his head, "This dog has skin disorder, tail down in-between hind legs, not a good dog." He murmured. "Skin disorder can be healed, with good health, her tail will curl up." I explained. He shook his head again after a moment of silence. "My wife is superstitious, she doesn't like white dogs." I didn't know what to say to that, I couldn't force him, but what about the puppy? How much longer can she survive under this kind of conditions?

I stroke the back of Mile-8 and stood up with great disappointment. The girls are till petting Mile-8, "what about the puppy?" my daughter asked me in despair. At the time we already have adopted 5 dogs. "There is nothing we can do." I answered with indifference in the face of innocence.

I held my daughter's hand and walked out of the market with silence and sadness. Mile-8 followed our every step, in my peripheral vision, her skinny little body cling to the chance of being loved. I couldn't turn my head, I didn't want to give her hope. After a few steps, I realized that if I leave her here, she would die for sure. I couldn't bear the pain of leaving her to die here, I stopped and said "let's take her home first, we will find her a new home after we bring her back to health." My daughter smiled with great relief, she turned around and took Mile-8 into her arms.

Mile-8 excreted 12 parasitic worms when she was de-wormed. She got better and better every day, the skin disorder went away after 3 to 4 months, after that we had her spaded. At this time, Mile-8 is already a pretty lady dog, not a helpless little puppy any more.

Impersonating a cat is Mile-8's favorite activity. She would ark her back, her tail straight up, running around that house like a big white cat. The other dogs seem to believe that Mile-8 is really a cat and all begin to chase her. The wild, reckless chase only stops when some one (or some dog) runs over something, prompt me yell at them. Only then Mile-8 will realize that she is not a cat, and becomes a dog again.

That's how we end up having a "crazy cat Mile-8" in our house.

- translated by Daniel on 7/08/1999