“My 4-year-old son and our over 50-year-old neighbor are best friends.
It all began when we went to the Turks and Caicos Islands where we are originally from back in March. I asked our neighbor, Ms. Susan, to watch our dog since it was last minute. We weren’t planning on being gone for more than 3 weeks.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic at the time, we were stuck there for 4 months. When we got back, my car had been stolen and our cable and internet was off. Through it all, she was there checking in to make sure we were okay.
When we returned, Aaiden started going next door to take our dog to say hello. Then, he asked if he could go into her house so he could watch TV. This evolved to them playing basketball and soccer in the street and taking the dog for walks.
One day, they had a race and she fell. Aaiden came running to the house to tell me he needed Band-Aids for Ms. Susan because she was bleeding. I carried the first aid kit next door and helped her get cleaned up. He was by her side the whole time.
Now, every morning he gets up and brushes his teeth and then asks if he can go by Ms. Susan’s house—sometimes he won’t even eat breakfast first. Once, he got mad at us and told us, ‘I’m done with the whole family.’ He packed his suitcase and went next door.
When we followed him, we met him on her doorstep, ringing her doorbell. Unfortunately, she wasn’t home so he couldn’t ‘move in.’
She is helping him learn his numbers, colors, and ABC’s since he doesn’t like to sit still long enough for us to teach him. When she goes out of town, he gets upset and says she is gone for too long. Now, she writes him letters for us to read to him when she leaves.
Recently, I saw her in Walmart with her cart full of little goodies 4-year-old’s love to eat along with her healthy food selections for herself. She always says she doesn’t have any mothering instincts, but she is the perfect best friend my little boy could ask for.
I am blown away by the pure love they have for each other. I could not ask for a better neighbor.”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Merrill Powell. Submit your own story here.
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