Tuesday, November 19, 2013

The Origin of Essex's Name

The choice of the name Essex goes back many dog moons, all the way back to the fall of 1975.  Dog Dad was a freshman at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio.  He reported early to attend soccer training camp.  His roommate had arrived a shortly before and had selected the bed by the window.  His roommate was a young man named Eric, who went by “Rick.”  Rick’s pawther was an aviator aboard the Essex during the Korean War. 
Why the Name Essex?
Wittenberg was a different world for Dog Dad.  He was from a blue collar family.  Grand Paw worked for Ford Motor; Grand Maw was a house wife.  Many of his classmates had doctors, lawyers and such for parents.  Dog Dad didn’t feel he fit in, but then that is typical Dog Dad.  Dog Dad is a reserved hooman and meeting new people is stressful.   Dog Dad has gotten better at it over time, but he is a hooman with only a few people he calls friends and he avoids crowds.  He would tell you the loneliest place in the world is a crowd. 

 It was during his freshman year, Dog Dad realized something that had a major impact on his life.  Like most teenagers, he felt messed up.  At Wittenberg the light came on as he realized everyone else was just as messed up.  He was not alone.  The rich, the elite and even the popular had problems.  That knowledge changed his outlook on life.  Thus the name Essex marked a pivotal moment in his life.
A Pivotal Moment
Dog Dad and Rick have not seen each other since college.  Dog Dad thinks of his roommate at times and remembers those days.  When it came time to name his collie pup, he wanted a name with a story.  He thought of Wittenberg and his roommate.  When people asked why Essex, he told them his college roommate’s father was an aviator aboard the Essex during the Korean War and it made him think of college.  That is only part of the story. 
The Rest of the Story
Rick's Dad Visited the Moon
Cyber-paw pals, this was Dog Dad’s brush with fame.  His roommate was the oldest son of the “Mr. Armstrong.”   Now Dog Dad knew the son and not the father.  Thus the name Essex makes Dog Dad thinks of Wittenberg, his college roommate, a July night in front of a flickering black & white TV, and above all his beloved collie girl that taught him so much.  Like Dog Dad, the story of the name Essex is simple, complex and runs deep like still water.  Now you know the rest of the story.

Dog Speed,

Sherman
 
Paw-SSS - Dog Dad turned the comments off for this story.