Callie published the contest and the responses flowed in. Bonita suggested Ruby. Dylan suggested Red. Molly submitted Cinnamon. Harry said Peter. Kenny said Rose. Brian said Hope. And Nub? Nub said Blue. Callie was astounded to get a suggestion so close to Daniel's odd-ball response. She set out to find Nub Flanders and find out why he choose Blue. Spotting him ahead of her, she called out. "Nub!"

"Hi Callie," Nub answered as he stopped, waiting for her to join him.

"Hi Nub. Nub, why did you suggest Blue for a red toy dog?" Callie asked, brimming with curiosity. There had to be a story here!

"Oh." He started walking toward the Widow's Walk again. "In Australia, they call dogs with red fur, Blue. I'm not sure why they do that, but I thought it was neat. Why do you think they do that, Callie?" He looked at her with serious, clear blue eyes full of his own curiosity.

"Huh, who would have thought," Callie smiled. "I don't know why, Nub, but maybe Daniel does. He suggested Bluey." She tried to think of a way to use that fact in a story, but couldn't see how yet. Maybe next year when the Olympics were in Sydney? People would be curious about the host nation.

"Bluey?" Nub looked thoughtful. "Okay, I'll ask him. Coming to lunch?"

"What?" Callie looked up and saw they were in front of the steps of the Widow's Walk. "No thanks, Nub. I have a paper to get out. I need some more stories. Bye!" She took off again, but her thoughts kept wondering why Daniel had given the answer he had. Nub? Well, Nub was Nub. She wasn't sure where he'd learned that about Australians, but he liked it so he had used it when the opportunity offered itself. That was the way Nub was. Why had Daniel used it though? Or rather, why had Daniel Cooper used a variation of it? Maybe he knew someone from Australia who was living in California or maybe he'd visited Australia...

Nub went inside and looked around for a place to sit. Spotting Daniel by himself, he made his way to the table. "May I join you, Reverend Cooper?"

Daniel looked up with a smile. "Sure, Nub." He shifted the pad he'd been doodling notes on and closed his Bible, setting them aside. "How are you today?"

"Fine." Nub sat down in the chair opposite Daniel. He smiled at Molly as she hurried over to take his order. "I'll just have the special, Molly. Thank you."

"Sure thing, Nub." Molly headed for the kitchen with her latest orders.

"Callie said you suggested Bluey for the contest." Nub decided to get straight to the point. He liked to find answers to his questions.

"Yes, I did." Daniel looked a bit startled at the tack of the conversation. How had Nub found out?

"I suggested Blue. She asked me why and I told her." Nub scratched his head under his knit watch cap. "Daniel, why do Australians call red dogs, Blue?"

Oh, so that was it. Callie had been surprised and curious about their similar responses. Daniel thought about it. "I'm not really sure, Nub."

"Oh," Nub sighed. "I thought you might know since..." He shrugged.

"Well, I don't know, but I could guess. It might have something to do with the rest of the world calling them Down Under. That and their reputation as eccentrics. It would keep the poms and other visitors off guard," Daniel thought a second, "like an inside joke."

"Poms?" Nub pounced on the unusual word.

"Ah, British or English... I think it's something to do with Lords and the upper class. You know pomp and circumstance and pomposity. In the earlier years of Australia, British visitors used to lord it over the Aussies, like they were better and knew more than they did."

"Ah!" Nub nodded his understanding in response. "You sure know a lot about Australian slang, Daniel. Have you been there?"

Daniel looked a bit surprised. "Yes, well, I must of read it or something. I've never been there. My father went once about ten years ago."

"Oh," Nub wilted in disappointment. "Then you don't know any... any Aussies?" He liked that word too. He'd have to remember it. It made him think of the Wizard Of Oz and the other Oz books. Maybe an Aussie would visit Hope Island sometime.

"No, I'm sorry Nub, no Aussies." Daniel thought for a moment. "You know, they have a Hope Island in Australia too. Yes, I remember now. It's off the Gold Coast."

"Really? Neat!" Nub beamed. Maybe an Aussie would visit, one that was homesick and attracted by the similar names. That would be great! "Where's the Gold Coast and their Hope Island?"

"Um, maybe you better check a map, Nub. I'm not sure I remember that much." Daniel grinned at Nub's enthusiasm.

"Okay, I will!" Nub stood to go. "I'll let you know what I find."

"After lunch, Nub." Daniel reached out and tugged on Nub's sleeve to get him to sit back down. "No hurry, I'm sure it won't go away."

"Oh," Nub saw Molly coming their way with his meal. "Yeah, right." He smiled at Daniel and settled back into the chair. "You're right. Thank you, Molly."

"You're welcome, Nub. Can I get you anything else, Daniel?"

"Freshen my coffee?" Daniel held out his cup.

"How about dessert?" Molly asked as she filled the cup with the pot from the bar.

"I don't think so." Daniel patted his waist. "Wouldn't want to put on any weight."

"Yeah, like you have to worry," she shook her head in amusement. Daniel Cooper was skinny as a rail, he was always walking and she'd even seen him running! Actually running! Except for the tourists, no one ran on Hope! Well, she couldn't say that now. Daniel ran or jogged or whatever they called it.

"I'll have some, Molly." Nub raised his hand slightly.

"Thanks, Nub. If somebody doesn't eat it, Boris will get upset." She hurried off to get some before he could change his mind.

Molly didn't return. It was Boris who burst through the swinging doors leading to the kitchen. He wove through the tables and patrons, a bit like a bull in a china shop. Fortunately, Boris was smaller than a bull and didn't cause that level of damage. Instead, he left a trail of startled diners, looking after him curiously with some trepidation. Boris was an overwhelming force of nature and few wanted to reckon with him. "Here!" He put a plate beside Nub with more force than necessary. "Boris is glad someone is not uncivilized boor and eat Boris's dessert. I learned to make this from my Baba's knee. It is good! Eat, eat!!!"

Nub looked flustered at the attention drawn to him by the loud declaration. He also hadn't eaten his lunch yet and his momma had taught him to clean his plate first before touching his dessert. He didn't know what to do. Fortunately, Daniel, who was trying to figure out where Boris had gotten uncivilized boor from, stepped in to run interference. He looked curiously at the wedge of dessert, and slowly recognized raisins, apples and were those cherries in the rice? It looked like it had been baked inside a pumpkin, then cut. "What is it, Boris?" He sniffed and then took a deep breath, inhaling the aroma of cinnamon and baked fruit.

"Stuffed pumpkin! Old family recipe! Daniel, do you want some too? Boris get!" Boris waited anxiously for a response. When he'd first arrived, he would have rushed off, moosh, moosh, to get it. Alex had worked very hard to get him to curb himself and wait for an answer first.

"Stuffed pumpkin?" Daniel took another appreciative sniff. "Sure, Boris. It smells good."

"You are good man, Daniel Cooper! Boris get! Moosh, moosh!" He turned and almost ran over Harry on his way back to the kitchen. The fisherman danced back, grateful when he avoided being caught under the larger man's feet. Boris didn't look like he had an ounce of fat, but he was tall and seemed all muscle. Everything about the Russian seemed larger than life and no one could decide if his stories were just that or the truth. There was something about the man that made you believe. And he could cook too!

Molly came out of the kitchen, expertly avoiding the Russian's rush. She looked over at the bemused preacher and Nub. Wandering by on her way to bus a newly emptied table, she asked them. "What did you do? Boris was beaming when he went by me."

"I just asked for some dessert, Molly. It smells delicious." Daniel answered her. He should have expected the enthusiastic response. Boris tried so hard to expand the islanders' tastes to include traditional Russian dishes.

"Yeah, it does that. What is it?" She hadn't quite dared to ask for fear of having some shoved down her throat before she could think.

"Boris said stuffed pumpkin," Nub answered her.

"Yeah, it looks like it has raisins, apples and cherries." Daniel took another appreciative sniff. "Nothing too drastic."

"Yeah, well, I hope it doesn't have vodka too for both your sakes." She laughed at her small joke, then seeing Boris coming back, she hastened to get out of the way.

"Vodka?" Daniel mouthed after her and looked at Nub who shrugged. Boris arrived and proudly placed a big helping of his dessert in front of the minister. He beamed at Daniel, waiting for him to take a bite and say what he thought. Cautious now, because he hadn't considered the possibility of vodka being in it, Daniel took a small bite. He smiled and nodded approval. He took a bigger bite and savored the mix of flavors.

"What does Daniel think?"

"It's delicious, Boris!"

"There, see! Reverend Daniel says is delicious! Rest of you are stuck in mud!" He proclaimed loudly to the other diners.

"Um, Boris, I think you mean, sticks in the mud," Nub corrected him gently.

"Sticks? Nyet! I think stuck! No expand horizons! No willingness to try new!" Seeing Alex staring hard at him, he knew he should get back to work. "Enjoy! Boris go back to work now! Glad someone appreciates my cooking!" He turned and sailed proudly back into the kitchen.

Daniel finished his dessert and coffee. "See you later, Nub."

"Bye Daniel. I'll let you know what I find about that Hope Island in Australia."

"You do that, Nub," Daniel answered, then walked over to the bar to pay Alex for his meal.

"I think I should be paying you, Daniel," Alex informed him. "You sure made Boris' day."

"Glad to help, Alex," he saluted and went on his way. He stopped by to see Father Mac.

"Good day, Daniel," Father Mac called. He was clearly on his way somewhere, probably to visit a member of his congregation.

"Good day, Father Mac. I won't keep you long. I just wanted to know when we could get the tent and tables."

"I'll deliver them in the morning. Plenty of time for setup." Father Mac paused and pursed his lips. "Perhaps I'll ask Nub to do it. Yes, that's the ticket!"

Daniel beamed gratefully at the older cleric. "Thank you, Father Mac!"

"You're most certainly welcome, Daniel. Well, good-bye, I must visit Mister O'Reilly. He's very unhappy stuck at home instead of on his boat. Mrs. O'Reilly thought I might be able to distract him and calm him a bit."

"Maybe you should take Barnabas with you. He'd be a distraction." Daniel laughed at the thought.

"Perhaps you're right, but I'll save that for a later visit. It will be at least three more weeks before he can get back to fishing." Father Mac smiled a bit at the thought. Daniel had meant it as a small joke, but he might have something there. Thomas O'Reilly might appreciate the bird's salty language since he was a true salt of the sea.

Callie looked over the list she had made from entries in the "Name The Dog" contest.  It looked like everything. Now, to get it to Christie and find out the winner. The bazaar was the day after tomorrow and she didn't want to rush her friend too much. She logged on to the internet and saw that Christie was online.

Chat?

Sure!

I have the entries from the Name The Dog contest!

You did it!?! I can't believe you actually did that! Didn't your editor fuss?

Why would I fuss?

You're the editor too? What don't you do, Cal?

Not much. <l> Okay, here we go. I'll just give you the names and not who entered them. Okay?

Sure! Shoot!

Ruby, Rose, Red, Peter, Hope, Cinnamon, Pizza, Tomato, Scarlet, Pimpernel, Russia

Pumpernickel (I swear! That's the way they spelled it! It's not my fault!), Rouge, Rue, Rus,

Wow! That's quite a list!

Shh! I'm not done yet! Now, where was I?

Oh yes! Henna, Ocher, Indian, Sunset, Cardinal, Fire, Fox, Ladybug, Garnet, Pepper,

Hot, Oak, Tanager, Deer, Blue, Bluey

Okay, that's it. What do you think?

That's quite a list. I don't understand. Why Peter?

No idea. So do you see the winner or do you need to think about it? I need a winner before Saturday. Daniel is suppose to announce him or her at the bazaar.

Um...

Blue! I like that. It's different and...

And what?

It reminds me of... someone I knew.  once

Really? Wouldn't happen to be Australian was s/he? Nub says they call dogs with red fur, Blue.

Did he suggest Blue and Bluey?

He said Blue. Daniel said Bluey. <l> Daniel blurted it the moment he saw the picture!

Nub and Daniel huh? Who gets the prize?

I guess Nub since he said Blue and that's what you picked. Besides, I think Daniel would be embarrassed to announce himself.

<l> I should guess so! I know I would be. <g> Say what is the prize?

Oh, a model kit. Make your own ship in a bottle. Daniel suggested it. Now, about this someone you knew. Were they Australian?

Yes, he was actually. He was ... special, very special. I ... I miss him still. <sigh>

Oh dear. What have I done now? I'm sorry, Christie. Was... Was he the father?

Oh no, no! No, he wasn't.  I miss him though. I haven't thought about it, him in quite a while.

You talk like he's dead?

Yes. Yes, he's dead. But as long as I remember him, he lives in my heart. He would have been a father for my sweetie. <l> Funny, he used to call me that. I met him when I was just a kid. He always said I was his sweetie, his sweetheart. I guess that's where I got calling Ailene that.

Ailene? Is that your daughter's name?

Ailene Mary.

That's lovely. What

Oops! Incoming! I have to go, Cal. Thanks for the name. TTYL!

Callie signed off the internet, now more curious than ever. Poor Christie, sounded like this guy was someone important to her. She wondered who was Ailene's father, since it wasn't this man. Rat! Leaving a woman to raise a baby alone. Oh! But maybe she wasn't being fair, maybe the father had died too? Steve Kramer, now he was a rat! Leaving Alex alone to raise Dylan, hardly ever writing his only son. Poor Alex. No, that wasn't right. Alex seemed to be glad to be rid of him. No. Poor Dylan. He didn't really know his father and it seemed Ailene wouldn't either. She hoped someone would help Ailene, the way Daniel helped Dylan. A child needed someone to be a father as well as a mother.  She opened the word processor to write up a story about the winning entry. Nub would really enjoy his prize.

Daniel returned home. He looked over the list of items that were being donated, both to the bake sale and the bazaar. A lot of it would be brought by tomorrow, some of it was already stored in the back room of the church. The baked goods would be delivered Saturday morning. All in all, it looked like a good beginning for the Hope Island Community Church's first bazaar and bake sale. There were a lot of games and puzzles, some tools, clothes, toys, old furniture and knickknacks. Then there were the handmade items - sweaters, Afghans, quilts, samplers, hand carved items out of wood and ... That couldn't be right! Could it? Mammoth bone? And... sea shells? Did people on the island really do that? It didn't matter though, the gift to the church was the thing and it seemed more special when it was the product of the giver's own hands.

Speaking of givers, it was time to get to work on his own contribution. He pulled out an apron and tied it on. He might not be the best cook in the world, but he could do a pretty mean chocolate chip cookie if he did say so himself. No one had ever complained about them at any rate. He opened the refrigerator. Oops! Guess he should have made sure he had all of his ingredients. Oh well. He pulled off the apron and set about making a grocery list. He could call it in and they'd deliver, but he would rather walk. He found he liked walking around the island. Of course, Ruby would probably give him a lift back and check out the kitchen, see how well he was stocked. She took an almost motherly interest in him and said things like they couldn't have their minister starving. Not that he was in danger of that. Still... Maybe he should increase his list with some long lasting staples, canned goods and such? He didn't know what winters were like here, he'd heard various things about Washington. Some of them had been real horror stories about the winter storms. Surely those would mostly be in the mountains though? He'd asked Ruby and Bonita. They'd give him a straight story about the island's weather. Ruby would make sure he had the right things in the pantry. Smiling, he set off back down the hill.