Rabbi Ray

I love to hear stories from the past, especially really good stories I’ve never heard. I had mentioned perhaps buying myself a coke out of the vending machine when I got to school today and Chick said he remembered Rabbi Ray and the candy box. I said, “What is a candy box?” He said it was candy in a box with a glass over the top. He went on to say they bought the candy at school. I asked if it was like a vending machine or was it an honor system box. “No, Rabbi Ray sold the candy in the hall at school. He also had a grocery store in town. Because of that store, I won the spelling bee in the 5th grade.”

Chick said he beat out Virginia Rothfus, the smartest girl in class, because of one word. I still couldn’t figure out how this grocery store helped him win the spelling bee. Chick laughed. He said, “There was a sign that was eye level when he went into the store and it advertised a product.” He was so used to seeing that sign every time he went into the store that when the word was called out he spelled it, S C I S S O R S, and that is the story of how he won the spelling contest. Rabbi Ray, you were remembered today and it was a sweet story to pass on to my children and my children’s children, and so on.