Fall was in full bloom at the Bridge, the days were getting shorter and
the nights were cooler. No. 421 and Oliver had picked up the yard, the
Farm Stand was full of apples and raisins, and the two friends had time
to relax.
No. 421 and Oliver had just sat down to a dinner of ferretone soup,
where there was a knock on the door. Bluebird was in a frenzy with a
ticket in her beak.
"Hi Oliver," she said. "We has a fuzzy crossing who left his Momma
Kristen rather suddenly. Tell No. 421 he will be at the Bridge soon
and you try to find Sparky to greet him."
With that said, she turned and fluttered back to the Receiving Angel
who was talking to a big gentle boy who was waiting to sign in. No. 421
looked at the ticket and thought he knew Sparky. "Isn't that the lone
ferret that lives over by the rock ledges," he said? "Was talking to
him the other day and he was saying how lonesome he was. Well, let's
get going, we will heat this up again when we get home. Oliver, you
go get Sparky and I'll meet you at the Bridge."
Oliver dashed out the door with a roll in his paw and started for the
ledges, and No. 421 walked up the hill to the Bridge. He had just
settled down in his chair when a big ferret came walking across the
planks.
"Hello there," No. 421 called. "Might you be Rascal?"
"Yes, I'm Rascal and I'm confused. I went to sleep for my afternoon
nap and woke up at a gate with a man with wings and a big book asking
me for my name. Where am I and how did I get here?"
No. 421 invited Rascal to have a seat and wait for a few minutes until
Oliver arrived. He looked at Rascal and saw confusion on his gentle
face.
"Sometimes a ferret is called without warning," No. 421 said. "The Big
Boss can see down the road, and if you had stayed on earth, you may
have suffered an illness that would have made you uncomfortable.
Sometimes it is better for you to just slip away quietly without any
fuss. Sometimes, it is easier on your Mom if you go peacefully than
under stress. It would be harder on her if she had to help you."
"I see," Rascal said. "Can I send a message home to Mom Kristen? There
are some things I would have wanted to tell her if I had known I was
leaving."
"Sure you can," No. 421 said. "Shooting Star is here and she will get
Gentle Breeze to take a message home tonight."
Just then there was a commotion and two ferrets rounded the bend. One
ferret, stopped, looked, rubbed his eyes and looked again.
"Hey Rascal, that you" Sparky said. "Oh Rascal, you're here, your
really here. I was just saying to Oliver how lonesome I am and it is
cold in my hammy alone."
The two ferrets hugged and dooked and hugged some more. No. 421 and
Oliver just stood by and watched. Gentle Breeze ruffled a few leaves
letting No. 421 know he had arrived and Shooting Star wiped a tear
from one point while she watched the two ferrets greet each other.
"Oh Rascal, I'm sorry for our Mom, but I'm so glad you are here,"
Sparky said. "It was kinda cold last night, and now, you can share
my hammy with me and we will both be toasty."
Sparky came over to No. 421 and asked it he could send a few words
home to Mom Kristen? No. 421 assured him he could.
Rascal told Shooting Star he was ready to give her a message. He had
been thinking about Mom Kristen while he sat with No. 421. "Tell her
I'm sorry I left without a Âgoodbye' but maybe it is better this way,"
Rascal said. "Mom, I am here with Sparky, and we will be sharing a
mound till you come for us. Don't cry, I'm fine, and maybe I would have
been sick. I would not have liked that. My leaving would have been more
difficult for you. This way, I just walked out on my own. If I see The
Boss, I could ask why, but I'm sure He knows best." Sparky told Mom
Kristen he and Rascal would be together again, and the two ferrets
wrapped the message with hugs and kisses.
Shooting Star, who always cried at greetings, picked up the package
and on the back of Gentle Breeze, the two left for earth to deliver
the message on the next gust of wind.
Sparky and Rascal said good-bye to No. 421 and Oliver, and Sparky
invited Oliver to come over on the weekend for some fun. Oliver dooked
and said he would and the two left for their home at the ledges. No.
421 and Oliver left to go back to their dinner. The ledges were not far
from the cabin, and in the winter, it would be nice to have some close
friends.
Dusk was settling in at the Bridge as No. 421 lit a candle and Oliver
put a log on the fire to heat up the soup.
No. 421 wrote in his logbook, the two ferrets had found each other,
and would be living at the ledges while they waited for Mom Kristen.
Another Mission Accomplished. Oliver set the soup back on the table
and the two friends sat down to their dinner.
[Posted in FML 6832]
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