Revisiting Column About A Best Friend... "Molly and Me!"

                                                             Hillary and her friend, Molly

There are a handful of favorite newspaper columns I've written over the years, which are tucked neatly in a file cabinet in my office and will forever be logged in my memory. One in particular especially tugs at my heartstrings. It was about a woman who stumbled upon a special friendship with a dog, quite by accident, all while missing her own beloved pooch she'd recently lost at the time. I am happy to report that today the woman and her current furry friend are as close as ever and so, here the story begins and happily continues to this day...

There's a reason dogs are called, "Man's Best Friend" and just as sure as their damp little noses nudge you for attention, so will they make their way into your heart, leaving a permanent paw print. Nearly everyone has a story to tell about their special family members and such is the case for my friend and neighbor, Hillary. They say you can't choose your neighbors, just your friends. I am blessed to have Hillary as both. Our husbands golf together and we've taken joint family trips over the years and watched our children grow up. So, naturally we were all sad about their family dog passing away. This is Hillary's story of "Molly and Me," which is about love, loss and filling a void after saying good bye to her treasured companion. 

However, let me start by first introducing you to a lively Golden Lab named, Bailey. It has been more than a few years now since Hillary lost her beloved little buddy, but the multitude of wonderful memories of their adventures and time spent together will remain forever embedded in her heart. A familiar sight around town was a cheerful Hillary driving her bright red Jeep with an equally happy canine, secured in the back and taking in the passing scenery. You could almost depict a smile also on Bailey's face as her tongue dangled out, trying to capture the breeze as it flowed through the open vehicle. Often times, Hillary would scamper across the street to my house for a chat, only to have her golden shadow soon following pursuit, which in itself is unusual since Bailey, upon discovering Hillary's absence, knew exactly where to find her sidekick and tracked her down time and again. Incredible still, while outside my front door, Bailey raised her big paw and was able to pull the latch down to let herself into my house, thus taking to heart, the open door policy good neighbors share. 

This was the pair's blissful routine, whether it was scampering over for a visit or zipping down to the village, Bailey kept up with her partner's stride ever so faithfully and they truly were two peas in a pod. However, as time went on, it became harder for Bailey to keep up and after a long and happy life, filled with love and the simple pleasures of being together each day, Bailey's life on earth with Hillary and her family came to a sad end.

And so it was, a couple summer's ago while still missing her best friend and family member when Hillary noticed a sweet little visitor on her front lawn, which just happened to be a Golden Lab and her heart skipped a beat. When she beckoned the gangly creature over to her, she read, "Molly" on the tag of the collar and noticed she belonged to a family around the corner. A hop in the Jeep, which was a little bittersweet as it felt like old times, and soon Hillary and her new friend were back at Molly's house and after dropping her off, it was back to life as usual, or so Hillary thought. However, a couple days later, guess who was back to say hello again? Hillary caught sight of the canine explorer sneaking through an opening in the fence, which not only divides the two streets at each end, it just so happened that it was a fence on our property through which Molly was escaping! This time Hillary did what any good neighbor would do, she invited Molly in for a sip of water and a visit! Afterwards, she and Molly jumped back into the Jeep for the short ride back to Molly's house. This went on several more times until Hillary came up with a clever solution, which didn't include my husband finally fixing our fence!

                                                        Molly with her family's children

                                                  Molly with her "second" family's children

Hillary decided to make Molly's family an intriguing offer. She explained that since she was mourning the loss of her beloved sidekick and wasn't quite ready to jump back into a full time committment of raising another dog, would it be alright if Hillary borrowed Molly from time to time for a little walk now and then? Molly's family liked the idea and were happy to "share" Molly, thus a friendship blossomed! 

Today, Hillary and Molly can be spotted around town in the red Jeep or out for a walk, side by side and Hillary even watches the pooch when Molly's other family goes out of town. This lucky dog has a bed at both homes, food, dog dishes and when she is with Hillary, Molly even has a separate collar and dog tag with her address, so if by rare chance she would happen to wander away while her other family was out of town, Molly would be returned to Hillary. Most importantly though is the love for Molly which is shared by two wonderful families! Therefore, I am toasting our collective good fortune! Had I naggged my husband to fix that hole in the fence, these two families and one sweet dog, may otherwise never have crossed paths! 

Cheers, Caterina