A Great Release

Ray Riker - "The Money Tree" Restaurant - February 1990

This is how I will always remember Ray.  This picture was taken about eight months after we first met.  He was working at "The Money Tree" restaurant in downtown Detroit in the financial district.  The restaurant was closing and this picture was taken for an article about the closure which appeared in the Detroit Free Press.  Ray worked there 11 years.  He was a loyal employee.  Notice the ring on his ring finger.  He took that from me.  I had it as a "pinky" finger ring and it fit his ring finger, he took it and said he wanted to wear it.  I was so proud to have Ray Riker wearing "my" ring!!  After that, I always knew if a ring fit my "pinky" finger it would fit his "ring" finger.

Today is the seventh anniversary of his death.  I've done pretty good today.  It started with a brunch celebration of his life with Drew, Ray's sister Marguerite and me.  Then we watched about two hours of videos from 1995-1996.  (Poor Drew enduring that!)  After my dad died in April of 1995 I decided to purchase a video camera and record my life.  Little did I know how wonderful it would be to watch my memories unfold right in front of me (let alone on a 50 inch television!!!).  To see and hear my brother, Ray, and others that have gone on is just amazing! 

More about this picture.  I like to get up in the mornings about three hours before I have to leave for work. I make my coffee, feed the pets, and get cozy on the couch.  Before I watch GMA I check Facebook and search the internet.  I search the internet like I searched the encyclopedias when I was a child.  I would pull one section out (...say a book that was categorized E-G) and look through it.  Randomly reading about things.  This is what I do in the mornings when I search the internet.  One day about three weeks ago I decided to "google" Ray's name.  One link brought me to an Historical Archive of photos from newspapers.  Out of thousands of photos this one came up...AND it was for sale!  I had to have it!!  I decided to give it to Ray's sister Marguerite as she was working with him at "The Money Tree" when this photo was taken and she also was in the article (but no photo of her for sale...sorry Marguerite).  I gave this to her today for Christmas. 

As I said, this photo is how I always remember Ray.  In the past I have seen elderly couples and have thought about how old they look.  I am surprised (not sure why) when I see photos of them in their youth and how amazing they look!  I realize that when they reached 80 years old they still see the person they met when they were young.  This picture is how I always saw my Ray...and how I always will. 

We ended the day with a visit to the cemetery...Marguerite and I.  I've been at "peace" this year during the anniversary of his prognosis and death.  Not "total" peace, but at peace.  After seven years.  I cried terribly on the way home from the cemetery.  All the emotions of January 3, 2010 flooding my soul.  A great release.  - Jimmy