I love my family. We’re close, and when we have friends they tend to get closer as well. I just want to share a story about my son, Ray Junior. My name is not Ray and Ray is not a real junior, but we’ll get to that soon enough.
Our home has it’s family alternatives, my wife and I like to make sure our kids are doing well in school and life in general. My wife, Peggy has a job where she needs to leave our home early, leaving me to cook breakfast and chat a bit with our son, Ralphie. Actually, like I said, his real name is Ray, but our daughter called him Ralphie from the Christmas Story film, which has been a family favorite at Christmas time for years. Our daughter Janet leaves early every school day to be with her high school friends and to get away from the pestering of her little brother.
Ray, a sixth grader had been quiet and slightly moody for a little over a week. I was hoping to coax reality out of him for the last couple of days.
As we sat and finished off pancakes and sausages I caught his eye. “Well, what’s eating at you. You look like you want to share. Your sister isn’t here and you mom’s at work, so what can I do for you?”
Ray looked at me and immediately shared his thoughts and feelings. “There’s a new girl in my class and she seems awfully small for her age. Nobody is picking on her or anything, but I think she’s bewildered, but she’s not stupid. Last Friday I caught her giggling to herself quietly about the wrong answer my friend Burt gave to our teacher. Kaya caught me looking at her and just looked down and away quickly.
I spoke up, “Ah, so she has a name? Where is she from?” Ray told me everything he knew and possibly other things he figured out or guessed.
When Ray started talking, he didn’t quit until he was all talked out. “Kaya’s dad was assigned to Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson near Anchorage. Anchorage is located within the traditional homelands of the Dena’ina Athabascan people. The Dena’ina people lived in the region long before Europeans arrived, fishing, hunting, and living throughout the region. The Dena’ina are one of 11 Athabascan peoples in Alaska. The Native people of Knik Arm are the K’enaht’ana, members of the Eydlughet (Eklutna) and K’enakatnu (Knik) tribes. Kaya’s mother is an Eskimo, or something like it. Kaya is a name that means “little but wise”. Her dad has now been re-assigned to Joint Base Lewis–McChord.”
I looked at Ray with my mouth open from the historical recitation and simply said, “So what is your sixth grade planning? I can see the wheels turning.”
Ray nodded his head. “I think she had to leave her dog behind. I think she really, really loved that dog.”
I had to ask, “Where are we going with this? Surely, she can find a dog to love.” Ray looked down and then looked up.
“I think she needs something special. Not just a dog . . . a dog with meaning. I remember your story about Uncle Ray returning to America after losing a number of friends in Afghanistan and looking for a particular dog, finding that dog, and then backing away from the dog in order to keep a small girl from breaking her heart. So now I have a friend with a broken heart. I just want to mend it as kind of a welcome to the Pacific Northwest. I’ll do more chores around the house. I won’t pester Janet . . . much. What would Uncle Ray do?”
The story Ray was talking about was a beer drinking type of story. I remember it broke my buddy’s heart to step aside for a little girl, but he couldn’t stand to see her so disappointed. I had no idea where I would find a dog that could heal the loss of home, old friends, and a family pet. “Get out of here and get along to school. We’ll see what we can figure out tonight.”
That night I waited until Janet left to visit some friends and then sat down with Peggy and Ray. I nodded towards Ray and said “I called your namesake. I had no idea what kind of dog he had.”
Over the phone I spilled out my guts wondering about the dog itself and where we could find one like it. Ray had no problem remembering. He stepped aside for the dog the little girl wanted and bought another Olde English Bulldogges from the owner Cassandra. Her husband now operates and raises the Olde English Bulldogges as well as Labrador Retrievers. Ray is making a special trip to see you and me and the rest of us. He is going to fly in to Sea-Tac from Texas and has found the perfect puppy friend for himself as well as one for Kaya. Ray only has one condition. You have to get permission from her parents as soon as possible. Soldiers generally don’t like surprises. I’m willing to bet Kaya’s disappointment and Ray’s history of personal loss in battle will make a big difference. There are two puppies from the same mother that Ray just fell in love with. He is suggesting Kaya choose one of the two. He named the male “Snow lies on the ground.” Ray sent an image of the puppy. Here’s the dog’s website – https://www.circlebranch.co/. Ray Junior looked at the photo closely and then asked, “Do you think Ray could maybe kinda buy three dogs?”
