Condolences to those with sick, missing or angeled hairy who-dee-knees...
 
One day, a man was walking down a country road, holding a leash.  At the
other end of the leash was a branching lead, holding three ferrets.  The
ferrets were all sniffing, dooking and bouncing around, happy to be out
and about.
 
As the man walked, it suddenly occurred to him that he had died.  He
remembered having a heart attack, the ambulance, the EMT workers buzzing
about and the foggy haze that had settled on him.  He also recalled that he
had led a good life and that the three ferrets he had with him had also
died at various times, though natural means.
 
He smiled down at them as they turf-surfed and jumped and bounced and
generally had a good time.  Looking up, he saw a clear blue sky with a warm
sun.  Birds chirped in the trees alongside the road.  After a time, the man
noticed a long, white wall rising out of the grass.  The wall grew higher
and higher, until it became a huge arch over an opening that led to a long,
gold-plated bridge over a roaring, foaming river.
 
At the opening of the arch, was a desk.  At the desk, dressed all in white,
was a primly dressed woman.  The man approached and asked "Can I cross to
the other side of the bridge?  The countryside at the other end looks quite
beautiful."
 
The woman looked at him and said "Yes, you can enter, but your ferrets will
have to remain here."  With that, she looked back to her book.  The man
looked at the woman, then at the bridge.  It was indeed a pretty bridge and
the land at the other side looked like paradise.  The man turned away and
continued down the road.
 
A short distance farther on, the man came to another arch in the wall.
Through the arch, the man saw a bridge made of a shiny material that
gleamed and changed colors as he watches.  It was fascinating to watch.
Across the bridge, numerous ferrets, dogs, cats, birds, lizards and all
manner of animals, as well as happy people, playing with the animals,
could be seen to the far horizon.  Smiling, the man walked to the desk at
the arch.
 
"Can I cross the bridge to the land on the other side?" he asked the girl
at the desk.  The young lady, wearing jeans, a T-shirt and sandals, looked
up with a grin and said "Of course!  We've been waiting for all of you!"
The man looked closely into her eyes and said "You mean I can bring my
ferrets, too?"  "Yes," said the girl.  "This is the Rainbow Bridge.  All
are welcome!  Here, humans and their companions can live forever in
happiness and joy!"
 
With that, she hugged the man, then picked up each ferret and got ferret
kisses from each one!  The man then turned around and asked the girl "What
was that other bridge back down the road?"  The girls face clouded over a
bit and she said "That's the bridge of loneliness.  Those that are willing
to leave their beloved companions behind go there, and never know happiness
again for all eternity.  I'm glad that you didn't cross there."  The man
looked at his three ferrets, then back at the girl.  "I never even
considered it."  With that, he and his ferrets quickly crossed the Rainbow
Bridge, to be greeted by every friend and companion that they had ever
known, who had passed before.
 
[Based on a story I received by E-Mail about Heaven and Hell.  Original
Author unknown.]
 
Todd and the Fuzzbutt Rodeo Clowns
[Remembering Mysti-Ferret and Silver Dude]
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[Posted in FML issue 3172]