Musty Pete Greets Alexa

As I walk to the Rainbow Bridge this morning I can smell the fragrant
blossoms of a magnolia tree, it brings a sense of peacefulness to me.
The Ferret Promise Song is barely audible above the chirping of birds
and crickets...but if I listen very carefully I can hear it. The
morning dew still clings to the fragile petals of violets and lilies of
the valley that grow along the borders of the pathway to the bridge.

Today I am awaiting the arrival of Alexa. She comes from a shelter in
Pennsylvania. From what the shelter ladies have told me, Alexa suffered
some abuse before she found them. Alexa had not been on a healthy diet
of ferret kibble, she had been fed dog food and table scraps. She was
covered with fleas and had a very bad ear mite problem. And she was
diagnosed with adrenal disease, which was quite advanced for a ferret
so young. The lovely people at the shelter cleaned her up and took very
good care of her, but sadly, too much damage had been done and Alexa
slipped away from them and is crossing the Bridge today. It makes me
sad that some humans fail to educate themselves on the proper care of
their pets, whether it is a puppy, kitten, ferret or a hamster...there
are things all good pet owners should know in order to provide the very
best care for their pets. A healthy diet is so important, as is health
care and the nurturing all pets require.

There is a quiet, cool breeze blowing across the Bridge, and I know
Alexa will be here momentarily. I sit on my favorite bench at the edge
of the bridge, pondering the meaning of this place and the reason I am
here. It is my 'job' to welcome newcomers, to make them feel safe, to
calm their fears and explain to them what has happened and how they
came to be here. I have greeted many ferts this past year and most of
them have transitioned smoothly, understanding what has happened and
readily accepting that this is now their new life. A few arrivals have
been nervous, even a little bit afraid when they first arrived, but
that was temporary...once they became accustomed to this place their
fears and nervousness disappeared.

Glancing up, I can see a small sable girlie fert stepping onto the
opposite side of the bridge...it is Alexa. She is very petite and quite
pretty. Standing up, I smile and wave at her. She waves back, looking
quizzical...wondering, "Who is this big man ferret?" She cautiously
tip-toes the rest of the way across the bridge, as if in a dream and a
heavy footfall might cause her to awaken. As she approaches she asks,
"Is this the Rainbow Bridge?" I smile at her and say, "Indeed it is
young lady. My name is Musty Pete, I am here to welcome you." She
smiled sweetly, "Oh...are you the only one here?" "Oh no, sweetness.
There are hundreds, thousands of ferrets here. All ages, shapes and
sizes. Young and old alike. In a little while you and I can take a walk
and I will show you around and introduce you to many ferrets. How are
you feeling?" Again Alexa smiled sweetly, and said "I feel strangely...
WONDERFUL! I am not tired, my bones don't hurt and I'm not itchy all
over like I was before." She seemed genuinely surprised.

"There was a nice lady at the shelter, her name was Vickie. She told
me all about the Rainbow Bridge. She said it was very beautiful with
flowers and trees and fields and animals and butterflies and lots of
ferrets for me to play with, and she said I never would have to be in
a cage again and there would always be good food for me to eat and
lots of raisins and treats, and always a warm hammie for me to sleep
in....is that all true Mr. Musty?" Alexa asked.

"Every single word! Vickie sounds like one smart human, Alexa. I am
happy for you that you had Vickie to explain things to you before you
made your journey." I offered my large paw to Alexa saying, "Shall I
show you around a bit? Then we can figure out where you should stay, I
think my dear friend Francis may have an extra hammie at her place..."

Alexa took my paw and we headed back towards the Community Center, she
was humming a happy tune and skipping. She certainly is a treasure.

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[Posted in FML 5491]