Hi, all.
I met a little guy coming across the worn wooden planks of the Bridge.
His name was Romeo, and he walked hesitantly, as if he was a little
worried to think what he would find.  A few steps, a stop, some sniffing,
a few more steps.  Finally, he got close enough that he could take my
scent, which he did from a distance until he was comfortable with it.
At least I thought he was comfortable with it, because when he got up
close he lunged at me with a fear bite, which I dodged easily.  (I see
a lot of those.  It's an occupational hazard.)
 
He looked embarrased about it, and I came up to him slowly and said "My
name is Sandee.  Can I groom your ears while we wait for your friends?"
 
"Friends?" he asked.
 
"Of course", I said as I sidled in a little closer to him and began with
his left ear.  "Grommie and Quincy and Phineas and Pheobe and Walton and
Valentine are all on their way.  Did you think you were going to be all
alone, Romeo?"
 
He didn't say anything, but he began to lick at my ears in return, and
I'm pretty sure he had been afraid of being alone.  It's a very common
fear of the Newly Crossed.  I started on his right ear, and hoped he had
all of the fear biting out of his system.  He was prone to it in the
World of the Living, although it did get better as the years passed, and
he grew more secure in his Hoomin's love.  (Caitie was a very loving
mommy.)
 
Finally, off in the distance I could hear the friendly chatter of Romeo's
Business, on it's way.  Romeo stopped grooming me all of the sudden, and
tipped his head back to look up into the sky.  He and his Business were
all looking at something, rising slowly above the horizon.  It was a
balloon, a simple balloon that his hoomins had released in the World of
the Living.  It crossed the Rainbow to deliver the message written on
it's side.  "I LOVE YOU".  Romeo smiled, and I knew that there would be
no more biting, today.  He was not alone, would never be alone.  His
Hoomin's love would follow him everywhere.
 
I met a little girl named Fudge coming across the Bridge.  Her Business
of Jade, Bandy, and Jnco was standing with me, waiting for her.  Her walk
spoke of renewed health and vigour.  She practically bounced!  Fudge and
her friends nuzzled and did a few wardance steps just to speak of their
joy at being together once again.
 
I gave Fudge her wings and her hammie and asked her what she wanted to do
or see first.  Bandy interrupted me to say "We know what Fudge wants!
The Warm Laundry Pile!"
 
Aah, the Warm Laundry Pile!  Imagine several acres of freshly done
laundry a yard thick, heated from below so that it is always toasty warm!
It makes for the most cozy, delicious nap that you can possibly imagine.
I was up for that!
 
We all strapped our wings on and lifted off from the grass, one at a
time.  Fudge had excellent natural balance, she got the hang of her wings
right away.  She must have been quite the leaper in her youth!
 
We flew into the direction of the sun, enjoying it's warmth on the fur
of our faces, and the clean breeze that bent our whiskers.  Finally,
there it was.  A great litter of freshly laundered cotton shirts,
T-shirts, socks, denim pants (I love exploring in the legs!),blankies,
bathroom towels, you name it, it was there.  We all landed with a little
muffled whump!  on top of the pile, which stretched away from us in every
direction, radiating a gentle warmth.  Bliss!  Such bliss to snuggle into
it!  To make a ferret pile and drift away for a few hours!
 
We did.
 
I was asked if a little guy named Marble had ever found the Ferretone
Falls he dreamed of in his final illness.  He certainly did!  We now call
him 'duck', because he is always oily like one of those poor ducks that
get caught in an oilslick.  (It's said in a friendly way, his fur is such
a mess from the Ferretone spray.) His hammie has a big grease spot in the
bottom!  His Falls have become a sort of local landmark, as in "turn left
at Duck's Falls"!
 
I was asked about two of our friends, Blind Lemon Jefferson Clinton
Clyde, otherwise known as Clyde, and his dear Sister in Fur Casio.
Inseperable in life, they are now together forever in the most beautiful
way.  The night Clyde came here to join Casio he went to a high hill by
himself, and he sat, head back with Casio, looking at the stars.  In
the morning, they were gone.  The next night, we noticed two bright,
beautiful new stars up in the sky.  We call that little constellation
The Friends.  They are together, forever.  Casio burns white hot, Clyde
is a warm red.
 
Last but not least, a little girl who crossed the Bridge with no name,
only secrets in her heart.  We call her Little Rescue Girl, because she
finished her time in the World of the Living with some good Hoomins who
rescued her from bad neglect.  She never did speak to me, just smiled,
and strolled away into the forest, stopping to smell each and every
flower on the way.  We get glimpses of her from time to time, exploring
the rocks and fallen logs, but she always moves away when she hears us
coming.  We hope that time is working it's healing magic on her heart.
She does have a beautiful smile, gentle and warm.  Time will tell, and
time, like love, is something that we have a great abundance of here.
 
Sandee.
[Posted in FML issue 4635]