Hi, All.
 
I met a little guy coming across the worn wooden planks of the Bridge.
His name was Critter, and he was very happy to make his crossing.  A
little sad to leave his Mommy behind, he was worried about her because
his crossing had her so upset.  He wants her to know that he was so very,
very ready to cross!  His body was just worn out.  It was time to go.
 
His Business of Rascal, Moose, and Buster stood with me to Greet him.
There was lots of pouncing and war-dancing!  Actually, they accidently
war-danced into me and knocked me over but hey, it's not like that never
happened before.  I just rolled back up onto my feet and bounced right
on into them, I like a good war-dance!
 
Well, something happened right about then.  I could feel a vibration in
the wooden planks of the Bridge.  Someone was coming across, someone
unscheduled.  I could feel the vibration of feet, but too *many* feet
all at once.  What was happening?
 
First one, then a second ferret came across.  After a space of about
thirty seconds, a third, much older ferret came across.  All three
huddled together protectively.  They looked dazed, and frightened.
Critter, Rascal, Moose, and Buster considerately moved back and stopped
their wrestling immediately.
 
I knew that something terrible, just terrible had happened.
 
I walked up to the three carefully and let the breeze blow my scent
before me.  Once the three had it, I walked a little closer and said
"Hi, my name is Sandee.  Do you know where you are?"
 
The eldest, maybe six years old walked a few steps toward me, lowered
his head, and said quietly "Did my friends and I just cross the Rainbow
Bridge?"
 
I said that yes, they had just done that.
 
He winced, dropped his head, and said "My friends were so young..."
 
I did not know what to say.  None of us did, so the eight of us just
stood there in silence for a few moments.  The two younger ferrets
pressed their sides together tightly, and looked scared.
 
Finally I said "Please tell me what happened." And he did.  It was a sad
story of Hoomins in conflict with themselves, and in conflict with one
another.  The three had lived with their Mommy and Daddy for a long time,
until those two were forced to give the three up.  Do the reasons why
ever matter?  Not really.
 
Once given up, the three were given into the custody of Hoomins who
solved animal problems by sending their littlest Brothers and Sisters in
Fur on a journey across the Rainbow Bridge.  Is it ever the answer?  It
is always one answer.  There are many answers.  Sometimes it depends on
which questions you ask, doesn't it?
 
And here the three were.  Unprepared for what happened to them.
Unscheduled for the journey, so ungreeted by family and friends.  But
not unmourned.
 
I heard a special little voice in my ear, one I almost never heard.  It
was the Big Boss.  That voice is so small, so faint, you always have to
listen very carefully to make sure that you aren't just attributing your
own wishes to it...but this sounded like the real thing.  The Big Boss
told me that Hoomins had tried to save the three, and failed.  Let the
three know.  Someone cared.  I told them.  I told everybody.
 
Everybody was pretty overwhelmed by what had just happened, the story
that had just been told.  We pretty much just stood there, sorting out
our thoughts.
 
Then Critter cleared his throat with a dry little cough.  "Ahem!  We
would be proud to stand in for their Business and Brothers and Sisters
in Fur until you can round them up for a proper Greeting." He looked
around at Rascal, Moose, and Buster, who all shook their heads in the
affirmative.
 
He padded up to the old ferret and said "Hi!  MY name is Critter, and
these are my friends!" And the old ferret smiled, just a little smile,
but it was a beginning, and the healing has to start somewhere.
 
Sandee
More Greetings Tomorrow
[Posted in FML issue 4582]