I was sent to the bridge the other day by a special request.  A wee one
named Lucky was to arrive.  I was very excited because this bitty one was
not a ferret.  He was a squirrel!  I couldn't wait.  I get very envious
of their bushy tails and big bright eyes.  So there I sat at the end of
the bridge, twiddling my paws.  And then the bright light came.
 
He was so tiny.  Much tinier than I ever guessed.  I knew that I'd need
help with this one.  He was a confused little thing.  So I trotted over
and helped him off of the bridge.  He was so cute, that I couldn't resist
picking him up and cradling him in my arms to tell him that everything
was going to be okay from here on out.
 
He looked around for his skin momma, and was teary at the sight of me.
I knew why too.  I had to tell him that this was the last home ... his
forever home now.  That he would not loose another mamma again.  Ever.  I
told him that he real mamma and any brothers and sisters would come to be
with him again one day.  He asked where they were, and I had to be honest
and tell him that they were lost for now.  But that this was going to be
their forever home.  He asked about his skin people.  I told him that
they would come to be with him again someday as well.  Before he could
ask, I told him that he'd have a Bridge mamma until they came who would
also be forever.
 
So, I picked him up in my mouth like a baby ferret, and we trotted in the
sunshine through the meadow.  He asked questions along the way.  A LOT of
questions, just like all little ones do.  I told him all about what
ferrets were, and about all the sites as we passed them.  Ferrets kept
stopping us along the way so they could sniff him and admire his little
tail which would someday be glorious.  He loved all of the attention.
 
In the distance, we saw squirrel forest.  At the edge of the woods, all
kinds of squirrels slowly emerged.  He got so excited!  A soft, chubby,
older lady squirrel stepped forward.  This was to be his bridge mamma.
She gently took him in her mouth, and then placed him in a soft patch of
dried grasses.  Several other young squirrels giggled and hopped around,
claiming him for their brother.  They were all orphans as well.  There
are many orphans in the squirrel world.  And thank goodness we have so
many bridge mammas who want to help.  I quietly backed off ...
disappearing into the weeds more and more.  The mother was singing to the
baby and grooming him all over.  All the grooming that he missed ... will
be given to him now.  Nice milk and warm food.  Brothers and sisters to
cuddle up to high in a nest that will sway and rock in the breeze.  It's
all good.  He's home.  Out of pain.  Safe.  And waiting ... for all his
loved ones on earth.
[Posted in FML issue 4989]