Hi, all-
 
I was asked to check up on a little girl who just came in a little bit
ago.  Her name is Princess.  I will never forget her, because she asked
the most memorable thing of the Big Boss!
 
Princess came across the Rainbow Bridge just fine.  She had lost her coat
in her final illness, but once she crossed the Bridge, it was restored to
her.  It wasn't just restored, it was softer and more beautiful than it
had been it life.  Everybody up here has a coat that would be the envy of
any mink!
 
Well, Princess was happy to have fur again, but she did have one little
request.  Have you ever seen an old oil painting of a king or a queen
wearing a fur robe?  The robes traditionally worn by royalty are pure
white, and have little black spots here and there.  That's because those
are ermine robes.
 
Ermines are little members of the weasel family, smaller than ferrets.
In the winter, their coat is white, to blend in with the snow on the
ground.  It is the softest, softest fine fur.  They have tails that are
a bit shorter than a ferrets tail, and that little tail is black.  That's
where the black spots come from in those old oil paintings.
 
Well, Princess asked the Big Boss if *SHE*, being royal (in her own mind
at least!) could have an ermine coat of her very own.  Now, Princess is
a snowy white ferret with a black tail tip!  She is delighted with the
change.  She spent a long time admiring her reflection in a mirror we
keep near the Bridge.
 
We keep the mirror for those ferrets who suffered some bodily loss or
disfigurement in life.  They come across the Bridge whole, restored.
Most are very happy with that, but sometimes we get what are called
"refusals".  Refusals prefer to keep the shape that they had in life.
The Big Boss takes care of that for them, no problem!
 
Anyway, Princess is one big, happy ermine!  She had a Business here
waiting for her, and she has been making friends.  Everyone who sees her
wants to know about that amazing coat!
 
Some day, a long time from now, she will show it to her Mommie, and thank
her for the tender love and care that she took of Princess, when Princess
had no coat at all.  During that hard time, Princess was clothed in
nothing but her Mommie's love.  Princess said that it kept her very warm
on the inside, where it really mattered!
 
Back to work for me!
Sandee
[Posted in FML issue 4366]