When I was about 7 years old, I took my dog for a walk around our house, and the mailman offered him some water. I took that as a sign that I could walk with him on his mail route in our neighborhood every day after school for nearly 7 years. Bob was always so cheerful, and we never ran out of things to talk about. He would always buy lemonade from my stands, and we even exchanged little gifts on holidays and souvenirs from trips.
Eventually, Bob’s route changed, and we lost touch for a few years.
A few weeks ago, I saw Bob walking his old route again. I pulled over and got out of the car. As soon as I said “Bob!” he said “Michelle!” with his arms wide open, and we hugged. I introduced him to my kids, and Bob gave them hugs too. He showed them his mail truck, and it felt like they had known him forever! Bob invited us over to fish at his pond, so we spent the evening there. The boys had a great time catching fish, playing with worms, and spending time with Bob.
It was so nice to reconnect and introduce my family to Bob the mailman. He’s the kind of person who makes you happy just by being around. I’ve always admired his love for life, and if you know him, I bet you’ve felt that too!