Alice woke up this morning and was called immediately to the Diary Room where she found Ollie nestled at the bottom of the Diary Room chair surrounded by balloons and party supplies.
A cake in the shape of a bone sat on the seat and the icing spelt out what was about to happen. Alice’s eyes immediately filled with tears as she read the carefully-piped lettering: ‘Happy Birthday Ollie & Goodbye.’
“Oh Ollie,” Alice said, eyes streaming with tears. “It’s a little bone.”
“Alice,” Big Brother announced, “Ollie has returned to the House for a short time, to say goodbye for the last time. That is not all – it is also Ollie’s 12 week Birthday.”
“12 weeks!” Alice put on a brave face for the pup. “Happy Birthday! You’ll do good. You’ll do good out there.”
“Big Brother has provided Housemates with a brunch to help celebrate Ollie’s Birthday and his farewell. Alice, Big Brother would like you to gather all Housemates in the backyard for a celebration to say your final goodbyes.”
“Thanks Big Brother,” Alice smiled meekly. “You’ll love it little one. You’ll do good out there.”
“You’re a little emotional this morning,” Big Brother noticed.
“He’ll do good Big Brother. I’ll miss – everyone - will miss him.” Alice’s lip trembled. “Hopefully I can find out where you are in the real world when you’re a big pup that goes working.
“Everyone loves him. Everyone does comment that they love him here throughout the day. He’s been an asset to the House without a doubt. Deep down everyone knows how important he is out there. I think that everyone realizes – without a doubt – that it was an honour to be part of his career.
“I hope he does really well which he will.”
As Alice left the Diary Room, Terri gave her a helping hand with the supplies.
“It’s his Birthday …” Alice explained.
“Oh, is it?” Terri lit up.
“And it’s goodbye,” Alice bravely grinned.
While Terri may be the House grandma, she suddenly looked like a child as she asked Alice innocently, “Why are they taking him?”
“I dunno. I guess it must just be his time to go,” Alice guessed. “We’re going to have a Birthday brunch for the little munchkin.”
“Oh,” Terri said, her voice shaking. “How sad.”
Terri quickly left the Vet and her pup and wandered to the Bedroom where she started to cry. Not one to make a fuss, she hopped into the shower so that nobody could tell she’d been crying.
It didn’t take long for the rest of the House to figure out what was happening. Brigitte burst into the Backyard, her voice charting new heights, “No! Ollie! Don’t go! Ollie! Ollie!”
Brigitte picked him up and danced him around the Garden singing him a personal song which may not have rhymed but there was definitely real sentiment there. “ Happy Birthday! Oh Ollie it’s your twelve week Birthday, and you have to go back to doggy land now so you can be a Seeing Eye Dog and you will help a blind person.”
To seal the deal, Bridge put a party hat on Ollie which he seemed to like.
After brunching in the sun and playing with Ollie, all of the Housemates started to look despondent as they knew Ollie’s time was up.
And it was, Big Brother calling the HMs to the Diary Room. “Housemates the time has come for Ollie to leave the BB House and continue his training as a Seeing Eye Dog. The training and care has received over the past two weeks is the platform for him to go on and enrich the life of a vision impaired person.
“Housemates say your goodbyes. Ollie is leaving the Big Brother House for the very last time.”
“You be a good dog in the real world!” Alice said, crying. “You save someone!”
“Do us proud Ollie,” Travis cheered. “You’re going to be the best Seeing Eye Dog ever.”
“Tell your new teacher it’s way not as good as your old teacher,” Brigitte told Ollie.
“Remember those traffic lights!” Terrence joked. Nobody laughed.
Everyone fell into a quiet as they patted Ollie for the last time.
“Thank you Housemates. It’s time to leave Ollie in the Diary Room.”
Terri wiped tears from the corners of her eyes, kissed the pup on the forehead and made a hasty exit. Slowly the other Housemates followed her until it was just Alice and Travis left. Alice made him stay while Travis placed him on the Diary Room chair.
In the silence of the Diary Room – still, alone and sitting up tall – Ollie looked about at the Diary Room for the last time.
“Thank you Ollie,” Big Brother said. “That is all.”
