New Friends
Chapter 11
A petite, Chinese lady stepped on board the bus. She struggled to get everyone’s attention. Her voice soft but authoritative, she said, “Duì buqĭ, Qǐngwèn!” A fuzzy ball squirmed in the hands she held above her head.
“Abby, look!” Dad shouted, pointing his finger. “Look ! Look at the front of the bus, honey. What is the lady holding?”
Abby jumped out of her seat. She ran down the aisle as fast as her little feet would carry her. Jumping up to reach for the stranger’s hand, she gently pulled at the woman’s sleeve.
“Xièxie nǐ!” she cried as she clasped the sweet, frightened puppy to her heart.
“You’re welcome,” a little girl answered in Mandarin. She looked about seven years old – just like Abby.
“Nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma?” Abby asked, which meant, ‘can you speak English'?
“Yes, I can speak your language,” MeiMei said. “Lots of Chinese children study English. Sounds like you know Mandarin, my language, too.
“Yìdiǎnr,” Abby smiled. “A little bit.” She thought MeiMei had the most beautiful honey-coloured skin. Her huge, dark brown eyes were the same colour as her hair. She had a red ribbon in her hair that matched her red shoes. She wore a red sweater-coat which was almost covering her dainty white lace blouse. MeiMei’s dark, navy blue, pleated skirt made her look just like a little schoolgirl,” Abby thought. She felt a little under-dressed beside her. All the young girls in China were petite. They wore the prettiest clothes Abby had ever seen.
“Call me MeiMei,” the girl said. “I would like you to meet Grandma.”
“Nĭ hăo,” Abby said, bowing slightly to the kind older woman.
In a soft voice, Grandma said, “Nĭ hăo,” ma?” which meant. How are you?
“Wǒ hěn hǎo, xièxie,” Abby replied, meaning ‘I’m very good, thank you’. Then she continued in English, looking at MeiMei, “Thanks for bringing Finn to me. How did you find him? I thought I would die if I never saw him again.” Abby said. She looked Finn all over to make sure he wasn’t hurt. She hugged him close to her heart.
“You should have seen him,” MeiMei laughed. A little puppy flew into my arms from the clouds,” she said. “I thought the sky was raining puppies. He looked so frightened I just wanted to hug him tight and comfort him. He's so tiny.”
The girls looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“I wanted to keep him,” MeiMei said, looking a little disappointed,” but Grandma said that some little person would be very sad to lose him. I understand now.”
“Xièxie nǐ!” Abby said, thanking Grandma again. Turning back to MeiMei, she asked, “Do you think your grandma would let you sit with me on the bus?”
Grandma nodded her agreement. She was happy for MeiMei to have a friend. The girls raced down the aisle to ask Abby’s dad. He agreed after having a talk with Abby about Finn.
“Who is that cute boy sitting with your dad?” MeiMei asked, smiling.
“He’s not cute! He’s my brother Alex!” Abby laughed
Seated next to each other, MeiMei said, “I couldn’t believe my eyes. Finn’s ears stood out like flapping wings. He flew through the air like a butterfly.”
Bending their heads together, the little girls tried to stifle their laughter in their hands. Their eyes twinkled with sweet tears of joy and relief. Everything had turned out okay. Sharing this adventure made them feel bonded together like sisters.
“Where is Finn now?” MeiMei asked.
“Dad said I have to leave him in the backpack so no one sees him. He doesn’t know if it’s okay for us to bring a dog to China,” Abby said, patting the bag on her lap. “Guess I made trouble for our trip. I tried to hide him in my suitcase.”
“Did you really do that?” MeiMei asked. “I can’t believe it!”
“I knew I’d miss him. I can’t sleep without him,” Abby replied.
“Are you in trouble,” MeiMei asked. MeiMei couldn’t imagine not obeying her parents. “He is tiny. I can see how you thought you might get away with it.”
“I’m not sure what trouble I’ll get. I guess I should have thought more about it,” Abby said, squirming a little in her seat. She suddenly realized the big mistake she had made. She hoped dad wouldn't take Finn away from her. That would be the worst. She shivered and felt sad all at the same time.
“I was thinking,” MeiMei said, “maybe I can talk to Nǎinai tonight. Grandma might let me keep him. Would this help your family while you travel?” MeiMei could see that Abby was now realizing that things might not turn out the way she had wanted. She felt sad for her new friend. But she still couldn't imagine doing something so crazy without asking for her parents' approval. She thought it would be exciting to play with the puppy until Abby's trip was over. She was going to talk to Nǎinai tonight.
“That’s a perfect idea,” Abby agreed. She felt more relaxed about Finn’s future fate now. She threw her arms around MeiMei and gave her a big hug.
..............to be continued................
“Abby, look!” Dad shouted, pointing his finger. “Look ! Look at the front of the bus, honey. What is the lady holding?”
Abby jumped out of her seat. She ran down the aisle as fast as her little feet would carry her. Jumping up to reach for the stranger’s hand, she gently pulled at the woman’s sleeve.
“Xièxie nǐ!” she cried as she clasped the sweet, frightened puppy to her heart.
“You’re welcome,” a little girl answered in Mandarin. She looked about seven years old – just like Abby.
“Nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma?” Abby asked, which meant, ‘can you speak English'?
“Yes, I can speak your language,” MeiMei said. “Lots of Chinese children study English. Sounds like you know Mandarin, my language, too.
“Yìdiǎnr,” Abby smiled. “A little bit.” She thought MeiMei had the most beautiful honey-coloured skin. Her huge, dark brown eyes were the same colour as her hair. She had a red ribbon in her hair that matched her red shoes. She wore a red sweater-coat which was almost covering her dainty white lace blouse. MeiMei’s dark, navy blue, pleated skirt made her look just like a little schoolgirl,” Abby thought. She felt a little under-dressed beside her. All the young girls in China were petite. They wore the prettiest clothes Abby had ever seen.
“Call me MeiMei,” the girl said. “I would like you to meet Grandma.”
“Nĭ hăo,” Abby said, bowing slightly to the kind older woman.
In a soft voice, Grandma said, “Nĭ hăo,” ma?” which meant. How are you?
“Wǒ hěn hǎo, xièxie,” Abby replied, meaning ‘I’m very good, thank you’. Then she continued in English, looking at MeiMei, “Thanks for bringing Finn to me. How did you find him? I thought I would die if I never saw him again.” Abby said. She looked Finn all over to make sure he wasn’t hurt. She hugged him close to her heart.
“You should have seen him,” MeiMei laughed. A little puppy flew into my arms from the clouds,” she said. “I thought the sky was raining puppies. He looked so frightened I just wanted to hug him tight and comfort him. He's so tiny.”
The girls looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“I wanted to keep him,” MeiMei said, looking a little disappointed,” but Grandma said that some little person would be very sad to lose him. I understand now.”
“Xièxie nǐ!” Abby said, thanking Grandma again. Turning back to MeiMei, she asked, “Do you think your grandma would let you sit with me on the bus?”
Grandma nodded her agreement. She was happy for MeiMei to have a friend. The girls raced down the aisle to ask Abby’s dad. He agreed after having a talk with Abby about Finn.
“Who is that cute boy sitting with your dad?” MeiMei asked, smiling.
“He’s not cute! He’s my brother Alex!” Abby laughed
Seated next to each other, MeiMei said, “I couldn’t believe my eyes. Finn’s ears stood out like flapping wings. He flew through the air like a butterfly.”
Bending their heads together, the little girls tried to stifle their laughter in their hands. Their eyes twinkled with sweet tears of joy and relief. Everything had turned out okay. Sharing this adventure made them feel bonded together like sisters.
“Where is Finn now?” MeiMei asked.
“Dad said I have to leave him in the backpack so no one sees him. He doesn’t know if it’s okay for us to bring a dog to China,” Abby said, patting the bag on her lap. “Guess I made trouble for our trip. I tried to hide him in my suitcase.”
“Did you really do that?” MeiMei asked. “I can’t believe it!”
“I knew I’d miss him. I can’t sleep without him,” Abby replied.
“Are you in trouble,” MeiMei asked. MeiMei couldn’t imagine not obeying her parents. “He is tiny. I can see how you thought you might get away with it.”
“I’m not sure what trouble I’ll get. I guess I should have thought more about it,” Abby said, squirming a little in her seat. She suddenly realized the big mistake she had made. She hoped dad wouldn't take Finn away from her. That would be the worst. She shivered and felt sad all at the same time.
“I was thinking,” MeiMei said, “maybe I can talk to Nǎinai tonight. Grandma might let me keep him. Would this help your family while you travel?” MeiMei could see that Abby was now realizing that things might not turn out the way she had wanted. She felt sad for her new friend. But she still couldn't imagine doing something so crazy without asking for her parents' approval. She thought it would be exciting to play with the puppy until Abby's trip was over. She was going to talk to Nǎinai tonight.
“That’s a perfect idea,” Abby agreed. She felt more relaxed about Finn’s future fate now. She threw her arms around MeiMei and gave her a big hug.
..............to be continued................
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