Nobody knew where the tradition of the Tracy puppy pile came from. Well, John probably did but he wasn't saying anything.
Surprisingly it started with a puppy. Once they moved to the farmhouse, when Virgil was nearly a year old, Lucy insisted they get a dog. There was no opposition from Jeff - he'd always had a dog growing up - and Scott was excited about it. John, at almost two, didn't have an opinion either way unless they asked. In which case he would prefer a cat, thank you very much. When Virgil's opinion was asked he just laughed and drooled, which Scott declared a yes.
Truth be told, Lucy envisioned a Border Collie as their dog. Highly intelligent and very active, it seemed the ideal dog to wear her boys - Scott - out. Scott's only requirement was that he could hug it, so no little dogs he might sit on. John requested a ginger tabby. Even at two the bright boy was a tad precocious, but both parents were quite happy to have two pets - they just weren't going to tell John yet. As usual, Virgil had nothing to add that was decipherable. Having found his voice much later than his brothers he proceeded to use it to the full, he just didn't make sense. At least not to his parents. Scott would listen and translate. 'Virgil says he wants a green one.' Lucy rolled her eyes. Of course he did.
All this planning was thrown out of the window when Jeff came home with a Great Dane. Silver-blue in colour and all legs, he was half Scott's height and towered over Virgil. Lucy was horrified when the first thing the dog did was to jump up at Scott and knock the kid over. Standing on his back legs he was taller. Of course, Scott thought it was hilarious and was lying on the floor, giggling, with the dog on top of him, licking him. His wagging tail knocked John over, and it wasn't long before all three children were in a pile and the dog was on top, sharing his kisses equally.
This did not bode well, Lucy thought.
Wally - for that was the name Scott picked - turned out to be the laziest dog Lucy had ever encountered. He loved the boys, would always be near them, but hated walks or playing. Wally was good with the children, letting Scott lean into him while he did homework, allowing John to read to him and laying obediently on the floor while Virgil drew on him. Her visions of a dog to wear out the powerhouse of her son soon disappeared.
Unfortunately, at the age of three, Wally took sick and died shortly before Gordon was born. Everyone was devastated. Even Orion, the cat, mourned her cuddle partner. With Gordon's traumatic entry into the world thoughts of another dog were put on hold.
Jeff came home with the desired Border Collie on Scott's eighth birthday. Gordon was two and much stronger now, and Jeff hoped the dog would somehow help his youngest.
Scott allowed Virgil to name the dog, a privilege that had both parents holding their breath. Virgil's names for things were always...interesting, even at five. He tended to pick colours or objects. There had been an injured calf at their grandparent's farm who Virgil had named Door. He had a very long explanation as to why he picked the name, but neither Jeff nor Lucy had understood it.
To their relief he decided on Blue. Because it was his older brother's favourite colour. John might have rolled his eyes, but the name was a good solid dog name and everyone was happy with it.
Blue lived up to the expectation Lucy had. He wore all four boys out. If the weather was good they were barely home, and when they did return invariably they collapsed in a heap, Blue standing over them protectively. It was their mom that first coined the term 'Puppy Pile'. They could often be found in heaps when they were happy, when one of them was sad, when they were celebrating or commiserating, always with Blue either on top or standing guard.
Blue and Orion got on brilliantly. As a pup Blue has been introduced carefully, Jeff mindful that the cat had been on her own for two years. Blue had barked at her, Orion hissed in return, then Blue set about licking her. And that was that. Orion stayed out of the way though, mostly because if she was around the boys then Blue would 'herd' her into his flock. Odd mornings when Lucy got up earlier than anyone else she would find the two animals curled up around each other.
They had three happy years of running around with Blue, getting into all sorts of mischief and out of said mischief. Blue had been there when Scott fell out of the tree he was absolutely not allowed to climb, standing guard while screaming brothers ran home for Mom. He was there when Virgil got lost wandering through the fields, taking hold of Virgil's shirt and pulling him home.
One day, when the boys were due home, Blue suddenly started growling and pawed at the front door. Intrigued by his behaviour, Lucy let him out and, grabbing Alan and Gordon, tried her best to follow the dog. Blue wasn't waiting though, and he shot away. Lucy came upon the sight of Blue, standing over Scott and John, hackles raised and barking at two men. One was cradling his arm in a manner that suggested he had been bitten. The police were not far behind, alerted by a neighbour that something was going on. Blue had steak for dinner that night. No one knew how the dog had known the boys were in trouble, but he saved them. That night all five boys ended up in Scott's bed, with Blue watching over them.
Blue was there the day Gordon decided to teach Alan to swim by pushing the terrified toddler into the water, the dog keeping the child afloat until Lucy could get him out. If Alan had been scared of water beforehand, now he was truly terrified, and stern words were had with Gordon. Gordon was naturally devastated and told Lucy that Dad had said all babies know how to swim, they do it before they are born, they just need a little push to remember, so he thought it would help Alan remember. Gordon wasn't the only one in the doghouse that day.
But then the next morning she was astonished to see Blue herding Alan to the water. The child was evidently scared, but he clung to the dog and Blue gently led him into the pool and stayed with him for quite a long time, until Scott came down and helped Alan. Thereafter, Alan would go into the pool with Blue. Blue gave Alan confidence and Scott taught him to swim., much to Gordon's dismay as he had wanted to do that.
That was the last summer.
November came and with it the weather turned colder earlier than normal. It was shaping up to be one of the coldest winters in Kansas history. Orion passed away in her sleep at the end of the month, and the family mourned the loss. Blue spent several days looking for her, and he was as lost as John was. They resolved to get another cat after winter break.
Winter break found the family in their cabin in Jackson Hole. They had a fantastic week, all seven plus Grandpa and Grandma and of course Blue. The dog loved the snow, he could often be found delightedly running between the boys as they tried their hand at skiing or sledding or snowboarding.
The second week Scott had his accident, and with a broken arm now in the mix the near thirteen-year-old was suddenly grounded, and his dog followed suit, staying close by. There had been tears of frustration that first day of incapacitation. But three days into the week, Scott was actually enjoying having his Mom and youngest brother basically to himself for the majority of the day.
Day four changed their lives forever.
When the rescuers eventually dug the cabin out, Scott and Alan were huddled together around Blue with Lucy and Grant wrapped around them. The hours it had taken to just locate the cabin, let alone dig them all out had taken their toll. Sandwiched between the adults and the dog kept the boys warm just long enough that they were alive when found.
They never got another dog, life being too busy and then moving to the island meant introducing a non-native animal was never going to happen. But they never forgot Blue, having placed a plaque on the island alongside one memorialising their mom and grandpa.
One thing still remained. If they had a great day, if they had a bad day, if they just needed the comfort or strength from each other, they could often be found in a Tracy Puppy Pile.