The DU Lounge
Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsWhen I first moved into my home...
There was a woman and her husband who lived a few doors down. They would walk up and down the street every day, holding hands. They would wave as they walked by. She was a little thing, thin and under five feet tall. Her husband was Italian, with a huge smile and a robust laugh.
I became close to both of them, but to her especially.
After her husband passed away, she would be out there in the harsh weather, shoveling the snow off her long driveway. I would do my best to hightail it over there after a snowfall, and shovel her driveway before she had a chance to get out there. She was fiercely independent, and she would curse at me out of her window when I was shoveling. And she used the colorful curse words that I won't type here. GO HOME!! I WANT TO DO IT MYSELF!! I would ignore her and keep on shoveling.
In June of 1985, I drove home from a concert that I attended in Pennsylvania. It was very hot. As I turned down my street and drove toward my home, she was running down the street, crying, carrying her limp little dog in her arms. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM"!
I reached over and threw open the passenger door and told her to get in. There was a vet office a mile up the road. We sped to the office, and the dog was treated. Turns out it was just a problem with the heat.
Over the years, we would meet in the street in front of my house and chat. She called me by my nickname. She told me she loved me every time we parted, and I would tell her I loved her.
She would stand in the row of trees across the street, and she would talk to the birds there. I was watching her one time. She was looking up into a tree, and she was talking. She held out her hand, and a bird flew to her and landed on her hand. It was a small bird, maybe like a sparrow. I could see her talking to the bird as it sat on her outstretched hand.
We had two Shelties who were wary of other people. But when she walked by, they would start crying with glee. Whining loudly. She would walk up to the fence, and the dogs could not contain their excitement to see her. They would uncharacteristically whine loudly as she approached the chain link fence, and both of them would simultaneously be jumping on the fence as she approached.
Her voice would get high and playful as she talked to my dogs, and she would weave her fingers through the fence to pet them.
I've never seen anyone with a way with animals like that. Her ways were almost spiritual. The animals knew.
She passed away in her home, at age 103.
I miss her.
MacKasey
(1,480 posts)LuckyCharms
(21,549 posts)She would curse out the plow drivers when they drove by her house and plowed her driveway in.
PJMcK
(24,693 posts)Thanks for sharing your story.
Happy New Year, amigo.
LuckyCharms
(21,549 posts)surfered
(11,280 posts)AllaN01Bear
(28,537 posts)3catwoman3
(28,526 posts)Last edited Mon Dec 29, 2025, 10:05 PM - Edit history (1)
That must have been enchanting to watch her interact with the small bird.
LuckyCharms
(21,549 posts)She was very gentle and loving, but you didn't want to mess with her. She would give you the business if you did.
We were about to get flooded. It was night time, around 1100PM, and the fireman were going up the street, knocking on doors and telling people to evacuate. I wasn't really concerned, because we were higher up on the street, but the firemen were insistent.
I was having a conversation with one of the fireman. He asked me who was living in her house, and I said "She's there alone". He said "we have a lot of houses to get to, can you check in on her"? I said yes.
So I walked to her house, and was pounding on the door. No answer, she was sleeping. So I tried the door and it was unlocked!
I'm thinking "Oh Jesus, I hope I don't give her a heart attack".
I was walking through her house calling her name, until I got to her bedroom and she yells WHO IS IT?
I told her it was me and asked her to come and stay with us, just in case the water gets up that far.
She lifted her head from her pillow and said "Fuck off, I'm not going anywhere".
Niagara
(11,439 posts)This will be my 2026 motto!
Joinfortmill
(19,964 posts)BurnDoubt
(1,402 posts)To have shared Lovely Monents.
Priceless!
LuckyCharms
(21,549 posts)She didn't like the way her hair had thinned out, so she would wear a wig when she went out. She had an old car, it was a Pontiac if memory serves. I used to tell her she looked better without the wig.
She didn't wear glasses except when she drove. I used to smile when I would see her drive by with her glasses and stupid wig on.
JMCKUSICK
(5,000 posts)LoisB
(12,294 posts)You are certainly one of them.
FarPoint
(14,509 posts)They see things we can not...like auras...they can see into the other side...They are here for us...
I think your dogs saw her white lite kindness aura...they know good things.
LuckyCharms
(21,549 posts)littlemissmartypants
(31,509 posts)usonian
(23,392 posts)He'll be back.
Oh, for a few million more!
fierywoman
(8,502 posts)MiHale
(12,569 posts)Special people are drawn to special people
you are lucky, Lucky.
Silver Gaia
(5,244 posts)Our stories are important, and it is important that we share them. When we share them, they become part of the tapestry we weave that is our shared experiences. This story resonates deeply with me, and I am so glad to know about your friend. She lives on in your memories, and is now a part of our collective memories. Thank you.
onethatcares
(16,961 posts)we need more people like her....................and you.
PittBlue
(4,699 posts)What a beautiful story. How lucky for both of you to be friends and neighbors.
Picaro
(2,327 posts)Thanks for sharing this
What a wonderful story about an almost magical character.
Happy New Year.
HeartsCanHope
(1,522 posts)How lucky you both were to have such a lovely friendship!
Attilatheblond
(8,220 posts)You were blessed to have known such a spirit. She was blessed to have you as a friend who took the time to look after her.
And we are blessed by your reminder that such spirits are among us. May we all take enough time to recognize them.
Fla Dem
(27,409 posts)CousinIT
(12,190 posts)May her memory be a blessing to you.
Deuxcents
(25,410 posts)Brainstormy
(2,524 posts)to a beautiful friendship
Martin68
(26,990 posts)MIButterfly
(1,981 posts)She sounds like a wonderful and feisty lady. We should all be so lucky to know someone like her.
Thank you for posting this, LuckyCharms.
patphil
(8,687 posts)Your story brought tears to my eyes.
Harker
(17,338 posts)please send me a signed review copy.