Introduction

Introduction to Bulldog: 

 

 

Ray “Bulldog” White. The name may seem inconsequential to you, but it sure means a lot to me.  Born in 1925 in Larkin Branch, Kentucky, Bulldog served in the military as a young man and worked nights at the local Ford plant to provide for his family and two children. He was a man of few words, but he lived out his values by working hard and working honestly. In many ways, Bulldog supplied everything needed to create the stories in this book. You see, Bulldog is my dad.  

 

When I was 10 years old, I lost my hamster. This would be a tragic event for any young man, but I was confident; certain that there was one person available who could help with such an important problem – Dad. I don’t remember how long the search lasted, but ultimately Dad delivered and returned my hamster safe and sound. What’s more, he also presented me with a hand-drawn map of his search around the house; how he had stalked the hamster around chairs, under beds and across window sills until he had found him. He had drawn himself wearing a cowboy hat and roaming the wild, wild house, hot on the trail of the varmint! This is my first memory of Bulldog’s unique wit and silliness, which is precisely how these stories were born…

 

Bulldog bought his first smart phone at the age of 88. At the age of 89, he was finally ready to send his first text. It was blank. But, a text nonetheless. Still, once Bulldog got a hang of the whole electronic-phone-messaging-thing, that same sense of humor from 1968 leapt boldly off the screen every time I opened one of his texts. He told me about all his friends and enemies, his travels and his secret identities.  It turns out Bulldog led an incredible life spanning centuries, geography and even the realms of fiction, and still had time raise a family and go bowling every Thursday!

 

I began posting his texts online and wasn’t surprised to find that Bulldog was an instant hit. Everyone loved his texts and his timeless sense of humor. At first, people thought Bulldog was literally out of his mind.  I had to make it clear – Dad is sharp as a tack, and all these texts are from his imagination, his sense of humor, and his natural whimsy. The man just likes to dream.

 

These are the stories of my dad as I see him – inspired by his texts, but told with my words. Each story is accompanied by one of Bulldog’s texts to me.  I know that many words are misspelled (Bulldog knows how to spell), but at his age it’s just easier to keep writing than to go back and edit. I am hoping for a little forgiveness on the reader’s part, because deciphering the text is half the fun.  So, get ready for some big adventures! You’ll see Bulldog in the Wild West and the open seas. You may find him swinging in the jungle or driving through mountains with some famous friends like Wyatt Earp, Al Michaels and the Easter Bunny.  And let’s not forget about talking squirrels and hero horses!

 

Each of these stories comes from my heart. This book is an homage to my dad in the only way he’ll receive it – as a silly, imaginative and light-hearted adventure. This one’s for you, Bulldog