This story began about three years ago, when a black bear accidentally wandered onto Shirley Hoffman’s property. The woman’s house was on the very edge of a national park, and she wasn’t very surprised by the bear’s appearance. But the animal began to visit Shirley regularly, and gradually the woman learned to talk to it, and then to its «buddies. Now, at her command, the bears come to visit, and when necessary, they close the door behind them.
The elderly woman gave the first bear the nickname Bruno, but she did not name the other animals because she simply could not tell them apart. Shirley quickly got used to the unusual guest and even built him a special house on her property where the bear could rest and sleep.
Naturally, Bruno did not stay in the lodge. But he kept coming to Shirley’s plot, and he behaved very calmly. Bruno never begged for food. He seemed to simply enjoy the company of an older woman.
Shirley lived alone in the house. Out of boredom, she began to teach Bruno and the other bears some simple tricks: the animals quickly figured out how to open and close the door, and sometimes they would get up on their hind legs as well.
Shirley made video recordings of Bruno’s frequent visits. Just to brag to her neighbors and friends.
Bruno comes to his «buddy’s» plot even today. Unfortunately, the other bears quickly became weaned off humans and have yet to appear again.
