I was talking to a friend tonight whose daughter left school in the middle of the day during junior high, and I had to laugh because I did that once.
Just once, from Morgan Middle School.
I didn’t make a big plan. I just walked out between classes and went to my dad’s place. We called it “The Farm,” even though it seemed to be on the edge of town. There we had a horse, a goat, and a garden that was doing its best.
It was a really nice day, and I didn’t want to be in school. My dad was home. I knew he would be.
I showed up in the middle of the day, and he didn’t question it. Just looked at me and said, “Well, hey there.”
Then he made me a barbecued beef sandwich. We sat outside in the sun and ate and talked. Nothing special, and somehow that’s exactly what made it good.
For a while, it felt like I had gotten away with something.
Then my mom pulled up.
I remember looking at my dad, trying to figure out what was about to happen. He just smiled a little, shook his head, and said,
“Oh boy. You’re going to have to pay the consequences now.”
And that was it.
My mom took me back to school without saying much, just a tightly clenched jaw giving away her feeling. I spent the rest of the day completely distracted, waiting for whatever was coming.
The next day there was a meeting. A lot of concern—Principal’s Jump and Price trying to figure out why I would do something like that.
I didn’t have a good answer for them.
It was a nice day.
I wanted to be with my dad.
So I went.
I never did it again, too much trouble…But that afternoon with my dad was worth it.
About 25 years later, I wrote his obituary.
I called him an adventurer, a hedonist, a master of his universe.
That all sounded important at the time.
But what I remember at this moment is that sunny afternoon, when he let me escape the regimented schedule of a middle school student, for a few hours.
Edward Lee Ray Jr., born January 4, 1931, Expatriate – Adventurer, Hedonist and Master of his Universe, passed away quietly on Monday, August 21st, 2000, in Bucerias, Mexico. He leaves behind countless friends and acquaintances from the Ellensburg, Spokane and Tacoma/Seattle area where he lived, worked and retired from the Burlington Northern Railroad. He is survived by his wife of 12 years, Teresa Moreno-Ray; sister, Arline Schuller of Auburn; step-mother Francis Ray of Auburn; and children Leslie Shamus of Georgia, Richard Ray (Kathleen) of New York, Brian Ray (Ellen) of New Jersey, Diane Rubie (David) of Bremerton, and Cheryl Ray-Morgan of Puyallup; and step-children Maria Teresa, Maria Josephina, Francisco and Carlos, and numerous grandchildren. Mr. Ray’s legacy is two generations of fiercely independent and individualistic children and grandchildren who include many unique thinkers and passionate idealists. His storytelling and fascination with humanity will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him. A memorial service will be held in Bucerias, Mexico on August 24th, 2000.