25 December 2014

Short Take – Chinese Astrology

I wished my eye doctor a Happy Chanukah last week, as he dialed me into his five-letter-a-line wall chart. I went through the usual progression of squinting more at each successively smaller line, until eventual failure…the smallest lines are too small to see. After that, blinking through dilating drops, I made small talk…he’s a young guy, who’s been my eye doctor for a long time. He knows my story, as I know his. He had a daughter with his Chinese wife two years ago. He wanted another, but she was reticent and I asked if he had any success, trying to convince her to bring forth a sibling.

Matter of fact, he said, she’s about to ‘pop’ (his word not mine…’give birth’ would be my preference). How did you persuade her, I asked. Well, back in March of this year, The Year of the Horse, I finally badgered her until she said OK. The reason she relented?…this is the Year of the Horse and our daughter was born in the Year of the Dragon (2012)…Horse and Dragon is a beneficial combination. (I looked up the attributes of each astrological sign…The Horse is a ground animal, the Dragon’s of the air. Both are leaders with no direct conflict. In matters of love and money, the Horse will bring luck to the Dragon’s life. Dragon’s life will be happy and healthy. On the other hand, Dragon is energetic and fearless and will protect Horse.) The good doctor was, of course, elated at whatever omen would bring her around.

But said his wife, throwing a potential wrench in the gears, I have to get pregnant in two weeks for a baby to be born in this Year of the Horse. Otherwise we have to wait until the next Year of the Horse returns. You better get busy. Desire did generate the required life forces and before the April deadline, she was with child.