No. 421 was still struggling with the cobwebs in his cabin when
Bluebird came fluttering up and perched on the fence.

"No. 421," she chirped. "We has a real lady crossing and I need your
help. She has lots of family here, but we needs to put on our best
manners when we greet her.

"Okay Bluebird," No. 421 said. "Let me call Oliver and give him a crash
course in being a gentleman. Then I'll see what I can do."

Bluebird fluttered away and No.421 was at a loss to know just what he
should do. Oliver was a great ferret and a wonderful currier, BUT he
was a diamond in the rough.

Just then Oliver came around the corner, covered in mud, and began
taking his clothes off.

"Oliver," No. 421 said. "What are you doing, and you can't stand in
nothing but your fir in the front yard. Suppose someone comes by, what
will I say? At least put a towel on."

Oliver grinned from whisker to whisker. I just had to go sliding one
more time before the otters come home. Boy did we have fun."

No. 421 told Oliver to go into the house, try not to make a mess, and
get showered and cleaned up. "We has a real lady crossing, and you will
have to be a gentleman at least for today" No. 421 said.

This was going to be more difficult than he thought. Oliver was a
rough-cut gem, and just full of being a ferret. What was he going to
do?

No. 421 put on his best greeting clothes, and wrote the list of ferrets
for Oliver to find.

Listen up Oliver," No. 421 said over the shower running. "You need to
look for Xena, Sadie, Houdini and Sir Ozzy. Bring them up to the Bridge
and I'll be there with Lady Fiona, I hope. And Oliver -- try not to get
distracted by the mud."

Oliver stuck out a wet paw, took the list and looked it over. "I think
these ferrets live over by the Ferretone Falls," he said. "I'll try
there first."

No. 421 walked up to the Bridge and was just sitting down when there
was a creaking on the planks of the bridge. A beautiful silver lady was
walking regally over the planks. She held her head up high, and walked
with a graceful step.

"Hello" said No.421. "Would your name be the Lady Fiona?"

"Yes, I am Lady Fiona," said a sweet ferret lady. "I was sleeping this
morning, then I woke up at a gate with a big desk. A man with wings
asked me to sign my paw print, and he directed me down this path.
Where am I and how did I get here?"

No. 421 greeted Lady Fiona in his most gentlemanly manner. "Lady Fiona,
this is the Rainbow Bridge," he said. "Your body could no longer
contain your spirit, so you left your earthly home and came here. You
will wait here with your ferret family for your human Mom, Katie to
come for you."

"Ah, yes Katie," Lady Fiona said. "She was a wonderful mother to us
all."

Shouts of laughter and dooking could be heard as Oliver and four
ferrets came up the path and into view. Lady Fiona stood up, and silver
tears rolled down her face and on to the ground. Blue For-Get-Me-Nots
sprung up as each tear fell.

"Xena, Sadie, Houdini and Sir Ozzy, is that really you," she cried? The
tears began to flow even faster, and soon she was standing in a circle
of fragrant flowers. "How I have missed you all. Come here and let me
give you a hug."

The five ferrets dooked and hugged each other, talking all at once. No.
421 and Oliver, who was twitching and itching, stood by and watched the
happy reunion.

"Stand still," hissed No. 421.

"I can't" Oliver said. "My collar is to tight, my feet hurt, this tie
is hanging me, when can I go home?"

Sir Ozzy stepped away from the group and spoke to No. 42l. "We has a
big mound down by the Ferratone Falls, and we has plenty of room," he
said. "Lady Fiona can live with us, and we will all wait for our Mom.
That way, we will all be together when she comes."

No. 421 said that was a great idea, and asked if Lady Fiona wanted to
send home a message? He called Shooting Star who was hiding behind a
tree with Gentle Breeze. They had never seen a "real Lady" before.

Lady Fiona told Shooting Star she wanted Katie to know she had arrived
and was reunited with the family. "Tell her we love her, and will wait
for her," Lady Fiona said.

With that, she brushed a kiss on one of Shooting Star's points and
taking Sir Ozzy's paw, turned to No. 421.

"Thank you for everything," she said. "And thank you young man, for
finding my family."

Oliver turned bright red as the happy group began to walk down the
path. Oliver was still blushing when No. 421 said how proud he was of
him.

The two friends went back to their cabin. No. 421 wrote in his logbook:
Mission accomplished. Lady Fiona is here and reunited with her family.
Oliver was getting out of his "gentlemen" clothes and into his sweats.

While he was gone, the pesky spider had repaired the web. Rubbing his
paw over his face, No. 421 picked up the broom and started all over
again.

[Posted in FML 6636]