Do you have one of those neighbors who just pops by with a cup of coffee and stays for hours?
I do.
But, mine is an 80-year-old lady whose only friends are her two Chihuahuas.
I love Mrs. B very much, but sometimes I don’t have a lot of free time to sit and chat. I hope she realizes it. I see nothing wrong in her visits. Still, there she is, every day around 10 AM, after her morning walk.
I know someone who shares the same kind of neighbor, and she’s not even from my building at all.
Melissa, from Northfield, Illinois, has a neighbor who pops by every morning without an exception.
Her neighbor is also a senior, but a 14-year-old English Cream Golden Retriever named Oliver, and his visits are as unmistakably accurate.
Every time Melissa opens her eyes and goes outside to sip her coffee, there’s Oliver, waiting for her at the gate.
This is one heartwarming story that shows that neighbors who stick together end up being friends for a lifetime.
Oliver’s Morning Visits
It’s around 7 AM and everyone in Melissa’s home knows what that means: It’s Oliver time.
Sometimes, he’s quite punctual, already waiting for her at 7 AM, and sometimes, he swings by later, around 7:10 or 7:30 AM. Still, one thing is certain: Oliver never misses his morning visits.
Everything started about a decade ago when Melissa moved in next door. Oliver came that very first day and decided he liked the new people so much that he should invite himself over all the time.
Every time Melissa lets him in, there he is, going straight inside with her dogs, and aiming for the fridge, as if he’s asking: Hey, what’s for breakfast today?
But, don’t think that Melissa’s family doesn’t like these unusual visits or finds Oliver to be intrusive. They think of him as a part of the family, like that one distant cousin who always seems to come by whenever there’s food, a party, or a family gathering.
This sweet, old pooch knows when his visits should end and he lets Melissa know that. Whenever she asks him if he wants to go home, Oliver just leaves, like it’s no big deal. They all know he’ll be coming back the next morning.
Or, even sometime during the day, if he smells something good.
Oliver’s wandering spirit came through even in his puppy days. And, it still did not break despite the fact that Oliver lost his hearing and sight due to old age. He still wanders around, going straight to his neighbor and back home, never going off his beaten path.
“He just has this desire to kind of go out and touch other people’s lives.”, said Oliver’s pawrent, Sue.
Melissa’s place is Oliver’s little sanctuary where he can continue living his life as if he did not end up impaired at all. He gets to be an independent pup, feeling safe and loved by his first-door neighbors.
“Bye Ol, love you. See you for lunch”, that’s how Melissa ends every one of Oliver’s visits.
Unfortunately, one morning, when Melissa got up around 7, her furry best friend wasn’t waiting at the gate. An hour had passed, then two, and Melissa realized something was wrong. Oliver never misses his morning visits. They were more than a routine.
Those visits were his lifestyle!
And, that lifestyle, sadly, had ended. Oliver crossed the rainbow bridge on the last day of August of 2021. Just as summer wore off, the strength in Ol’s body wore off, too. He lived well past his expected lifespan, and his family and neighbors couldn’t be more grateful for that.
“We are sad to share that Oliver passed yesterday of natural causes. He was an incredible part of our family for 15 1/2 years. He brought so much joy and happiness to everyone. He will be very missed. Long may you roam in heaven, Oliver”, said his family in an official statement on social media.
I know Oliver still watches over Sue, Melissa, and the rest of the Northfield, Illinois neighborhood, making sure everything’s under control.
He will always live in their hearts, in every sip of their morning coffee, and in every family gathering, when they’re waiting for someone to pop by and share happiness with them.