"At first, the Pekingese lived in the same building as me—actually, he was in the apartment right across the hall. I’d often encounter him sitting outside the door when I left for work in the morning or the afternoon, or when I was coming home at lunchtime and in the evening. Tiny, feeble, matted hair, an exhausted expression—he was a pitiful sight to behold. Such a well-behaved dog, too."