Hi, all.
 
I met a little girl coming across the worn wooden planks of the Bridge
the other day.  She really thumped across, War-Danced, actually!  When
she finally stopped bouncing she told me that her name was Wendy, and
she felt soooooo much better!  Better than she had in a long, long time.
 
She and I went to sit for a time beneath the flowering lilac tree.
(White, today.) We lay on our sides in the long, soft grass, and she told
me all about her Mommy and Daddy.  They tried so very hard to help her
get strong and healthy again, but only a trip to the Bridge could give
her that renewal.
 
I asked her what she wanted to do now that she was here.  "FLY!" was her
response.  She had often dreamed of flying when she was in the World of
the Living.  So we strapped on our wings, and lifted off carefully.  I
had her do a few practice swoops with me, and she caught on very quickly.
 
We flew over fields of long grass and wildflowers, we flew over calm
lakes and the cold little brooks that filled them.  We followed those
brooks deep into the forrest, and finally we started looking for an
open clearing to land in.  It took us a few minutes, but we found one,
and then we found our way down to the forest floor.
 
It had just rained, and every leaf and twig, every pine needle dripped
with crystal beads of clear, sweet rainwater.  We spent a long time just
going from plant to plant, licking the water from them.  When we were
full, it was time to think about a nap.(Somewhere dry!) Wendy asked me
where I recommend we go for that nap, and I immediately suggested the
Fleece Mountain.  It wasn't very far, and it NEVER rains on Fleece
Mountain!  We lifted into the air again, and we raced there, laughing
in the air, rolling and tumbling and doing flips.  She Won!
 
I met two little guys who crossed the Bridge at the same place, the
Dook-N-Dance Ferret Shelter, but at two slightly different times.
Twinkle Toes actually started her journey a little sooner than Bully-Vard
did, but she was kind enough to wait for him on the Bridge, so that they
could arrive together.
 
Twinkle Toes had made a very long journey indeed to get here.  The
Shelter was her fourth home, but now, of course, she is in her forever
Forever Home with us.
 
Bully-Vard got his unusual name when he was found loose in a parking
lot, after having sucessfully surviving a few runs across a seven lane
highway!  (He never did get hit, that's not why he came across the
Bridge.  His body was just tired.)
 
Twinkle Toes and Bully-Vard were met by Idget, a little albino boy who
stood with me to represent their Business, which is quite large!  The
two were just as happy with this quieter, gentler Greeting than they
would have had if the whole gang had shown up.
 
Bully-Vard, especially, was happy to meet Idget.  Their tails
bottle-brushed while they sniffed one another carefully.  As if some
secret signal was given, all of the sudden the two boys bounced into
one another a few times, hissing happily.  (I'm told it's a guy thing.)
Twinkle Toes and I just watched and waited until the two got it out of
their systems.
 
Finally, the two lay panting in the grass.  I'm not sure which of them
said it first, but one of them yelled out "FRUIT BAR!" and off they ran.
Idget followed, Bully-Vard followed right on the tip of his tail.
 
I cleared my throat politely, looked at Twinkle Toes, and said "Sticky
Vitamin Tar Pools?  I know where it oozes up out of the ground all warm
and buttery." She looked at me.  I looked at her.  We both yelled "TAR
POOLS!" and off we ran!  I lead, and Twinkle Toes followed right on my
tail tip!
 
Sandee
[Posted in FML issue 4592]