Travels with Ray are a series of short stories based on the antics of my adorable Pug dog Ray.

I jokingly tell people Ray is the only male heir of Frank, the Pug dog famous from the Men in Black movies.

I explain that after filming Men in Black, Frank mated with a female Pug who gave birth to three offspring - two females and one male.  

Ray was born on May 29, 2000 in San Francisco but in 2004, he decided to choose a new human master for various reasons. (See the San Francisco story for more details).

I tell people that Ray adopted me. I picked him up in November 2004 and we've been inseparable ever since. He's a true joy in my life. 

I got married in 2008 and Ray was the Ring Bearer at our wedding. My husband travels extensively for work and we take Ray with us, even on vacation.

Ray and I speak telepathically.  He says people need to talk to their pets more often. I learned from him that dogs do have emotions like anger, fear, happiness and joy, but they also can smile and laugh at jokes.

RAY passed away on Nov. 4, 2013. He was nearly 14 years old and lived a very good life. I miss him every day. 

Ray camping in Encinitas

 A head shotA Kodak moment at home in San Diego, California

San Francisco

November 2004

I first met Ray in 2002 at the Bay View Boat Club in San Francisco.  Initially, I didn't understand why this dog followed me around the club.  I didn't like Toy dogs. I liked big water dogs so I brushed off Ray's attention as nothing more than puppy love.

For two years I tried to avoid him. I also resisted adopting, rescuing or acquiring any little dogs, like Ray  because I liked big dogs.

"I don't want a little dog. They're sinkers," I said over and over to my ex-boyfriend who wanted to get a dog "just like Ray."

I loved sailing and always thought I'd have a big, strong water dog to take aboard my sailboat. Who wants a toy dog that can't swim more than two strokes?  I certainly didn't.  I wanted a strong swimmer  that jumps overboard to retrieve a tennis ball, then swims back and climbs on board unassisted 

That's the kind of dog I wanted, not a little toy dog that can't swim.  If Ray fell overboard, I'd have to dive in to save him. Ray's a sinker not a swimmer. Nope, no little dogs for me.  I envisioned owning either a a Black Labrador or a Golden Retriever.

For years I thought about getting a dog. I always checked the newspapers and looked inside every pet store for my perfect dog.  I saw a lot of cute ones but none ever clicked. They were either too expensive or not the right sex or not the right color or not the right something. I always went home empty handed. 

Once I foolishly bought a baby Nile Monitor Lizard but gave it to a zoo after I learned it would grow six feet long and would only hiss at me whenever I brought it food. 

Then one quiet rainy night in 2003, Mike Dingle walked into the Bay View Boat Cluib with Ray at his heels.  By sheer chance, I was working that night behind the bar. Every boat club member must volunteer two shifts a month either cooking in the galley, cleaning the kitchen or working behind the bar.  I worked my way through college as a bartender and cocktail waitress, so naturally I picked a couple quiet nights behind the bar. 

On this rainy October night Mike walked in, scooped the dog up from the floor, sat at a bar stool perching Ray on his lap. Ray looked so cute with his paws resting on the edge of the bar.

Animals are allowed into the bar because the BVBC is a private, members-only boat club.  The only requirements for membership are:  you must own at least a quarter share of a boat; be nominated by two current members; and tell everyone why you would make a good member before they vote you in. Usually everyone nominated gets voted in, and after paying the annual dues of about $300, you're entitled to bring in your spouse, your kids, your friends and your pets too.

Members bring their cats, dogs, parrots, lizards and even snakes into the club.  Everyone says, the Bay View Boat Club feels more like an extension of their living room.

When Mike sat at the bar with Ray on his lap, no one batted an eyelash. I smiled at Ray as I opened a Corona for Mike. Then without thinking, I grabbed a wide-rimmed well glass, filled it with water and put it in front of Ray so he could have a drink at the bar too.

"Wow, Jackie, you're the first person who's ever given my dog at drink at the bar," Mike said amazed.

"Why not?  I give all the other dogs at the bar a drink," I said joking about the men sitting inside.

Everyone laughed and Ray barked loudly as if talking directly to me.

"Hey, he never does that?  What did he say?" Mike asked.

"He says he's suppose to come and live with me," I blurted out without thinking.

"No, never," Mike said hugging Ray close to his chest.

Ray barked some more, squirmed out of Mike's lap down to the floor and ran behind the bar, climbing up my legs with his front paws while balancing himself  on his back legs.

"Wow, he doesn't like most people. He must really like you, Jackie. I've never seen him do that to anyone before," Mike said still amazed by Ray's behavior

Everyone laughed as Ray barked and danced circles around me.  I gave him a couple dog biscuits, shooed him back towards Mike then went back to work.

Later Mike asked, "What made you say that about Ray?" referring to my psychic interpretation of his barks.

"I don't know. It just came out of my mouth before thinking.  Hey, don't worry, he's cute but I like big dogs."

We didn't discuss my psychic animal reading at the bar until a year later when Mike came in on another rainy night in October 2004, when I again was bartending.

Mike sat at the bar alone looking really depressed. I served him a beer. 

"Hey, Jackie, do you want to adopt Ray?"

"Yes," I said, again without thinking. "Of course I'll take Ray. What's wrong?"

"Christy and I are getting divorced, the dog has been really sick and it's costing thousands of dollars in vet bills."

"Are you sure you want to give him up?" I asked.

"Yeah, we have to.  I can't afford his medical bills anymore.  One vet told us there was nothing wrong with Ray except Us. He said to find someone Ray liked and I thought of you."

"Are you sure Mike? I'm a  relative newcomer here and a lot of people with more seniority will be pissed off they didn't get a chance to adopt Ray first.  Why did you pick me?" I asked.

"Oh, I didn't pick you. Ray picked you. I've watched him follow you around for two years. Everyone's notices it.  He likes you best."

"That is way cool Mike."

"I'm warning you right now, you're taking a dog with a lot of health issues. Are you sure you can handle that?"

"If I can't then I'll let you know."

"Okay, I'll call Christy and tell her you accepted. She said she'll know in the first five minutes if you're a good fit."

I drove to Christy's condo in Corte Madera to pick up Ray. Her seven-year old daughter, Claire, looked very depressed when she opened the door.

I immediately squatted down on my knees inside the doorway. Ray lifted his head up from the chair, saw me and leaped off, running full speed into my outstretched arms. He climbed up my chest wagging his curled tail while licking my face.

"Wow, I guess it's a good fit," Christy said. "I'm so glad he's going to someone from the boat club. That's his second home and Mike can see him once in a while."

"No problem. Wow, he's a lot friendlier than I remember," I said.

"He's normally pretty aloof. Here are all his medical records.  He's cost us a fortune in vet bills.  I hope you can handle a dog with so many health problems," she said handing me a large file of papers.

I held Ray close to my chest and heard him say through muffled barks, "I'm suppose to live with you. Get me out of here!"

That's the day Ray adopted me.  It took me a little while to figure things out.

"Jackie, you're getting a dog with a lot of health problems.  Are you sure you want to take that on?" she asked.

I asked what Ray's medical problems were.  She said he had pneumonia twice as a puppy giving him lots of sinus and respiratory problems. "And he doesn't digest food well. He throws up a lot."

"The vet said the dog was depressed and sick because of our divorce."

"Dogs have feelings too, just like kids," I said glancing over at Claire who looked profoundly depressed about losing her dog.

"You can come visit Ray anytime you want," I said. "And I'll bring him to the boat club so you can play with him there too."

The little girl looked a little better after I said that but I could sense there was something deeper going on.  Divorce is hard on everyone.

When I got Ray home I saw his fur had been shaved above his front paws and he had several marks from I-V needles. 

"If you're a sick dog, I cannot keep you because I'm not a nurse but I'll find someone who is," I told Ray while examining his needle marks.

He barked back energetically saying he was all done with that now. Ray has been with me ever since and never been sick one day. I only take him to the Vet when he needs his shots updated.

Funny how destiny works. I didn't want a small, toy dog. But now I cannot imagine life without Ray.

He's a joy and light in my life.