Muldoone returns to the Bride to await the second arrival of the morning
and he didn't have to wait long.  The familiar fairy dust began to swirl,
the tingle in his whiskers, and the bright flash of light.  He next heard
the sound of ferrety feet coming across the Bridge.
 
Watching the ferret taking cautious step coming across the Bridge,
Muldoone felt pangs of pain in his young heart.  So many ferrets arrive
here afraid, sad to be away from their hoomans, even a few had arrived
and were angry about coming to the Bridge, they felt they had not had
nearly enough time on earth with their hoomans.
 
"Hewow, I am Mr. Muldoone, the officialist Bridge gweeter he told the new
arrival, welcomes to da Bwidge.  You name is Dakota Mully asks the
newcomer.  The ferret hesitated for a moment before answering, "yes I be
Dakota."
 
Muldoone carefully studies the newcomer noticing how he stood and how he
walked almost like he was afraid to use his back legs.  "Is everything
okay with you kid he asks Dakota.
 
Well I not be sure, my back used to hurts all da time and my wegs not
work so gud but now they seems to be workin and no hurts in em.
 
Dats right kid, when you awives here, old fewets are young, fewets dat
habe been sick not sick anymore, fewets wif weg hurts no wonger hurts.
We all be young and healfy when we comes here, dat be part of da gift
from da Cweater.
 
My hooman-bean mom be a weally gud mom Dakota goes on to explain.  She
gabe me towel wides and she feeds me gwavy ebery day.  I hopes you gots
gwavy here dat tastes wike my mamma's gwavy.  Dakota then dropped his
head and big tears began to glisten on his cheeks.  Mr. Muldoone, will
dere be anyone here to gibes me a baff ebery day, I pees in my pants a
wot and my mamma had to gibes me a baff all da time.
 
Hey kid, good news Muldoone explains to him excitedly, no more peeing in
your pants eidder, ebery parts of your body be workin now.
 
Weally Dakota asks with his eyes big and round.  Dat be wright Dakota,
you cans wuns and jumps, you back or wegs not hurt.
 
Dat be gweat Mr. Muldoone Dakota tells him.  I weally missed wunning and
jumpin."
 
Once again Muldoone sees the tears glistening on Dakota's fur.  Mr.
Muldoone, I miss my mom and I sowrry I made her cwy.  I twy to not goes
to sweep, I twy weally hard but I goes to sweep and I wakes up here.  I
miss my fwends dat I weft behinds; Caesar be my bestest buddy and Ghost
and Shadow be my bestest buddies too.  After I falls asweep, my heart
hears what my mamma tells me bout coming here.  She tinks I not hear her
but my heart hears her.  And she tells me bout Webster, Buddy, and Elsa
dat be here alweady."
 
"Come on kid Muldoone says to Dakota.  Dere be wots for you to sees
here, wots of new fwends to meet.  We gots dirt mountain, tube city,
sock steal, hammy haven, da chicken gwavy pond, all da fewetone stweams.
I takes you to da far side of da Wainbow so you can wooks in on your
mamma and sends her your wove.  And den, the day will come when your
mamma cwosses da Bwidge and you will goes to wive wif her.
 
Down the path the two ferrets headed Muldoone still telling Dakota about
all the wonderful things at the Bridge.  Hey kid, how do you fweel bout
'fwannel nightgowns?"
[Posted in FML issue 4637]