Early morning at the Bridge finds Muldoone hurrying along to his
appointed duties, this was to be a "double greeting" something he had
not ever done before.  "I wishdid dat someone tells me afore now 'bout
dis, I neber dids a gweeting wike dis one Mully says to no one, I not
wantz to messes it up".
 
Arriving at the Bridge Mully takes his spot.  Before long a warm breeze
begins to blow, it sort of feels like small fingers combing through his
fur, caressing the soft backsides of his ears, and there for a minute
Muldoone thought he smelled the scent of his hooman-bean and he closed
his eyes and let his memory take him back in time, back to the time when
he was still with his earth mom, back to the days when he could go to her
anytime of the day and get snuggles and cuddles, not to mention tasty
treats.  Mully then feels the breeze begin to pick up in intensity and
he knew the new arrivals were not far away.
 
Upon hearing the sound of ferrety feets on the planks of the Bridge,
Muldoone knows the two newcomers had arrived.  Mully steps forward to
greet the new arrivals and first to make his way across the Bridge is
Lance, a handsome sable point ferret.  Following behind Lance is a
little silver-mitt girl named Mitzi.
 
"Weltome to da Wainbow Bwidge, I be Mr. Muldoone, officialist Bwidge
Gweeter.  Lance offers his nose in a friendly sniff greeting but Mitzi is
not as bold and she hangs back.
 
Hewoo Mitzi Muldoone says to the little girl, weltome to da Bwidge.  Dis
be the first time I dooes a doublets gweeting, I hopes I gets it, Wance's
mom contacts my boss and asks if I can dooes a doublet gweeting since bof
your mommys be fwiends".
 
Mitzi's eyes got big and round at the mention of her mom and she missed
her already and wanted to go back.  "Mr. Muldoone the little silver-mitt
girl started, what be dis pwace and dooes I habe to stays here, I wants
to go home".
 
This was the part that was always tough for Muldoone, sometimes when
ferrets arrived they didn't understand what had happened and couldn't
accept that their time on earth was over and they could only see their
hooman-bean familees as they slept and dreamed.  Stooping over to be
more on the same level as Mitzi, Muldoone began to explain what had
happened and how she had gotten to the Rainbow Bridge.  After Mully
finished explaining to her, Mitzi was quiet as if she was trying to
decide whether to believe all she was being told.
 
"I wides over on a moon-beam she wants to know.
 
Dat be right, Mully told her, you hitchedid a wide wif Wance and you
wides ober on da moon beams, dat how ebery fewet gets here.
 
Mitzi thinks more about things and then Mully could see she had something
on her mind.  Mr. Muldoone, my mommy tells me dat I be a pwincess so I
still be a pwincess here she asks.
 
Well not sur bout dat, we all bees bout da same here.  Mitzi stamps one
of her little ferret feet and glares at Muldoone.  My mommy say I be a
pwincess so I be a pwincess".
 
Oh boy, thinks Mully, this is gonna be a tough one.
 
Lance then pulls out a couple of tiny stuffed toys out of his pocket and
then he seems to blush when he notices Muldoone watching him.  It be okay
dat I bwings dem here Mr. Muldoone asks Lance, dey be my bestest ones
back on earf.  "Sur kid, Muldoone tells Lance, fewets sumtimes bwings
tings wif em".
 
Glancing back over at Mitzi, Muldoone could see she was still glaring at
him.  Maybes I calls for Nanna on dis one Mully is thinking.  Mully
reaches behind a bush and rings a bell summoning Nanna to the Bridge.
She quickly arrives and asks him if there is a problem with the
newcomers.
 
"Nanna dis fewet Mitzi tinks she be a pwincess and I not knows what to
do.  Looking at Mitzi and giving the little girl a warm reassuring smile
and rolling her eyes in Muldoone's direction she turns back to Muldoone
with a frown, Muldoone, if her mommy told her she is a princess she is
a princess when she gets here as well.
 
Nanna, dat not be fair, I hears bout dese pwincesses and dey 'xpect you
to do all sorts of dumb stuffs for dem and I gots no time for dat, I
gots guy fewet stuffs to do".
 
Putting a protective arm around Mitzi, Nanna tells Muldoone to help get
Lance settled and then show him around the Rainbow Bridge including
taking him to hammy haven so he could pick out a new hammock.  I will
take care of the Princess Nanna informs Muldoone and don't you go
teaching him anything bad.  Flashing Nanna his bestest smile and trying
to look innocent, the two ferrets go off down the path together.
 
"Wance, Muldoone begins, how do you feels 'bout fwannel.
 
I heard that Muldoone", Nanna informs him and off the two run giggling
and weasel war dancing all the way.
[Posted in FML issue 4768]