Man’s best friend, my pal Duffy...
This is my father, Leon Uris, with Duffy. Our wire haired fox terrier family mascot. Duffy played an important role in our family—one who is always there to cheer us up and love us, unconditionally. You might say, Duffy was my father’s first son. A guard dog, companion, sounding board, trusted friend and ally.
Duffy was also woman’s best friend…
My mother, Betty, multitasked her way through life. Running our chaotic household was as demanding as my father’s writing occupation. Where Dad could hide in his office, my mother faced daily action on the front lines—a woman’s work is never done. Raised in Iowa by hardy stock Danish parents, Mom understood the responsibilities of raising a family. But she had help. Around our house everyone had chores, it helped build our integrity. And Duffy played the role of Mom’s trusty friend and confidant.
Duffy guarded my older brother and sister…
First come first served. On the left is my sister Karen. On the right my older brother Mark—two and a half years my senior. In this photo, Dad had published his first novel, Battle Cry, and the family moved to a rented home in Hollywood. Dad spent many hours at the movie studios working as a scriptwriter and script doctor, besides writing his next novel. Naturally, Mom had her hands full, so that left guard duty and entertainment director duties to her trusted ally, Duffy.
Duffy welcomed me into the family…
My earliest memories are of times spent with my pal Duffy. Such a joy, to have a pet when you’re starting out in life. Being a small child, in comparison, Duffy was as big as me. In fact, we were the smallest members of the family, and naturally watched out for one another. And now I’m all grown up and heading into retirement—and think of how nice it would be to have a companion like Duffy in my life again.
When I was three, we moved to Israel…
Photo is of Mom with Duffy in our Israeli home. She said in a postcard, “Duffy is quite chipper—of course, we spoil him terribly—the little beggar.”
This was an exciting time in our lives. After Dad’s roaring success with his novel Battle Cry, he ran into hard luck with his second novel, The Angry Hills—there was a glut of World War II novels and his book got lost in the crowd. So, Dad shipped us off to Israel so he would follow his dream, and write his epic novel, Exodus, about the birth of Israel.
Due to the fact that Israel was a young country with few resources, our family shipped everything, the car, kids, cooking utensils, a stockpile of peanut butter and chocolate—things not available in Israel. When it came to Duffy, he got the king’s treatment. Dad took a special trip back to the States to fly with Duffy to Israel.
Duffy guarded us when Dad was away…
Most families have a pet of some sort. Whether a dog, cat, bird, fish, snake, mouse, ant, etc., human beings have, for the most part, have made a place in their lives for non-human friends. What makes humanity great—is that we share this planet with other live forms. The fact that we can identify with lower species does not make us superior beings. Compassion, love, friendship, caring… are not exclusive human characteristics. Nature has one up on mankind. In God’s eyes we all have noble characteristics, human or not.
No mistaking who sits in the big chair…
Mom wrote her folks in Iowa, some years after we returned from Israel to Encino. “We had some sad news here yesterday. Duffy died at the vets. I had taken him in about a week before—he had hardly eaten at all for about ten days and has been on the decline since Lee go back. I almost believe he made himself last out the summer until Lee got back—because he had a job to do, and he was pretty good at watching over us—barking off and on, etc. We are rather upset—Mike really went to pieces. Lee and I feel rather empty—it seems strange just for a little dog, but he was a good one!!”
In my memoir, The Uris Trinity, I recall what it is like growing up in a loving family…
Find The Uris Trinity at Amazon.com
Read Michael’s blog/journal at” www.michaelcadyuris.com
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