The days were getting longer and No. 421 and Oliver were already
planning their garden. Oliver was taking a break from picking up the
fallen branches and thinking about when he could go fishing.

Gentle Breeze was on his way to see Shooting Star and stopped and
twirled around No. 421. "Don't look now, but Bluebird is headed your
way," he said. Then he was gone. Oliver was turning over the flowerbeds
when Bluebird flew up and landed on her perch.

She had a ticket in her beak and removing it gently with one foot, she
called Oliver to come and get it.

"Hi Bluebird," he said. What have you got there, looks like a ticket."

Bluebird gave Oliver the ticket and told him to see that No. 421 took
care of it right away. Due to problems in the airways the greeting was
late and the Receiving Angel hated to leave anyone standing at the
bridge. She ruffled her feathers, said good by to Oliver and flew back
to the gate.

Oliver took the ticket into the cabin where No. 421 was chopping
raisins for a stew.

"We have a ferret named Bacon crossing," he said. "She has family here
already. Why don't you finish chopping those raisins and I'll look for
the family."

Who are you looking for," No. 421 asked. "I might know them." Oliver
took the ticket out of his pocket again and read each name. I'm looking
for Sir Didimus, Monk, Grissom, Raja and Peter who was her first love.

"Hmmmm," said No. 421. "That sounds like the crew over by the cloud
dunes. You know that nice little ranch mound with the out door grills.
I think that is who you are looking for."

No. 421 told Oliver to hurry up and find the family, he would put the
stew on to simmer and meet him at the bridge. Oliver slipped into his
boots as the ground was still muddy, and started for the dunes. The
place was picture perfect, with long, low, buildings and fenced in
gardens. The ferrets that lived there worked hard to keep their place
up.

Oliver ran down the path and was just opening the gate when one of the
ferrets came around the corner of the shed.

"Hi there," Oliver said. "What might your name be?"

"I am Sir Didimus," the fellow said. "Do you have business here and to
whom did you wish to speak?"

"I'm Oliver, currier for Bridge greeter No. 421," he said. "I am here
to tell you that Bacon will be coming over and I would like to have
some of her family there to meet her."

Sir Didimus just stared at Oliver. "You mean our little Bacon is going
to be here with us," he said. "Hey fellers, come out here, Bacon is
crossing and we need to greet her with, what's your name, oh yes,
Oliver."

Four ferrets came tumbling out of the house, Monk, Grissom, Raja and
Peter all came running to Sir Didimus. "Let's go," Monk shouted.
"Come on, we'll be late, can't have our Bacon all alone and crying."

With that, the ferrets closed up the ranch mound and started off with
Oliver to the bridge.

No. 421 just arrived at the bridge when he heard someone sniffing. A
pretty little ferret was standing by the corner post of the bridge
surrounded by a circle of blue Forget-Me- Nots. She was sobbing her
little heart out. No. 421 went over and put his big paw under her
little chin.

"What is the matter," he said? Why are you crying?"

Bacon gulped a time or two and then said she was crying because she was
all alone and she missed her Mom and other ferret family. Mom and I
went for a ride and I fell asleep and I woke up here," she said. "A big
man with white wings asked me to put my paw print in a book and pointed
me to a bridge. He said I was to cross it, and I did and there is no
one I know here." She dissolved into tears again.

"Now that is not quite true," No. 421 said. "I think I have someone
coming that will make you very very happy. Come over here and sit with
me for a few minutes. They should be here any time now."

In the distance you could hear many voices talking. They were coming
closer. Little Bacon put her nose up and it twitched a time or two.
She sniffed again. Then she started to cry all over again.

"I thought you were through crying," No. 421 said. "What is the matter
now?"

Bacon looked at No. 421 with mournful eyes and said, "For a minute, I
thought my love Peter was here. I thought I caught his scent, but that
cannot be. I do not know where he went, he just went away."

The voices became louder and Oliver and several ferrets came over the
hill. Bacon looked up again, her nose twitched and then she started to
run towards the group of ferrets.

"Peter, Peter, is it really you," she said. Peter stepped out of the
pack and rushed to Bacon and the two hugged. Peter kissed her wet
cheeks and held her tight.

"You are finally here," he said. "I won't be alone anymore. You can
come and live in our ranch mound and we will be together forever."

Monk, Grissom, Raja and Sir Didimus all came running to see Bacon. It
would be nice to have her on the ranch.

No. 421 and Oliver watched the happy reunion. "Well," No. 421 said,
"if it's all settled that you are going to live with family at the
mound ranch, I guess we can all go home". Oliver picked all the Blue
Forget-Me-Nots and brought them over to Bacon.

"Here, take these with you to brighten your new home," he said. Bacon
took the flowers and sent Oliver a smile that lit up her whole face.

The happy crew started off for home and Oliver and No. 421 went down
the path to their cabin. Oliver stirred the stew and set the table, No.
421 wrote in his logbook. Mission accomplished, Bacon is with family
and has been reunited with Peter, her first love. She is a very nice
ferret girl, but she cries an awful lot. I think, now that she is with
Peter, she will be happier.

Oliver ladled the stew into the bowls and the two sat down to their
supper.

[Posted in FML 7006]