James "Juicy" Coleman retired from the Prince George's County Health Department in March 2011. It was a Thursday. Chong Tu was introduced Friday. Couldn't have come at a better time. Facing daily demands in his role as Liaison to the Gay Community left little time for a companion, so the arrival of retirement brought Juicy two much needed treasures: relaxation and Chong Tu.

Chong Tu, as his name cleverly suggests, is a successor to the throne. Prior to the Lhasa Apso's induction into Juicy's family, there was the original Chong, who hailed from the same breeder as his doppelgänger. Chong was received in 1992 and lived a full 13 years before his passing. With the passage of some years and retirement looming, it was finally time to try and fill the void left by the loss of his dear companion. And then there's Chong Tu, borrowing from Maude Findlay...the sitcom's theme song, at least.

Visiting Juicy for the very first time, I was immediately taken aback by the oriental detail to every aspect of his home, from artwork to furniture to symbols intricately embroidered on face towels in the bathroom. Per Wikipedia, Lhasa Apsos are of Tibetan descent and were bred to serve as living, breathing alarm systems in Buddhist monasteries. Guess it's safe to say that Chong Tu's arrival wasn't so much chance as destiny.

- TBR