The third ferret due to arrive that morning was a little girl named
Mindy.  The wind began to pick up and Muldoone felt the same familiar
warm gentle breeze swirling around him.  Mully closed his eyes and said
a prayer for the new arrival and also one for the hooman-beans she will
have left behind.  For a moment he felt intense sadness for the little
girl due to arrive, always such sadness when a fuzzy has to come here.
At times he felt overwhelmed with his job as a Bridge Greeter.  He liked
his job, liked meeting new ferrets as they arrived; he sometimes got to
sample tasty goodies from home or quite often the girls came with a
backpack and if he could distract them long enough, it gave him the
opportunity to take a peek and find out if they brought along a flannel
nightgown.  But other times the sadness was difficult to deal with,
Muldoone felt the pain the fuzzies felt at having to leave their loved
ones behind and come here and he also felt the pain of the hoomans for
their losses as well.
 
Muldoone was so lost in thought he didn't hear the little ferret coming
across the Bridge.  He felt a tug at his arm and he opened his eyes to a
beautiful little silver mitt ferret.
 
"Hello sir, the little ferret said, can you help me please?  I am looking
for the gate keeper and I think someone said his name is Lornadoon, do
you know him, do you know where I can find him she asked.
 
Uh uh stammered Muldoone, I tink you mean the Bwidge gweeter and dat
would be me, I be the officialist Wainbow Bwidge gweeter and da name be
MULDOONE not Lornadoon.
 
Forgive me Mr. Muldoone the silver mitt told him, I seem to be a little
bit mixed up on some things.  You see I was sick for a long time before
coming here, I couldn't get better so my hooman-beans helped me to cross.
My mom said my big brother Hubert is here, Mr. Muldoone, can you help me
find him please?  I feel sad and lonesome here, I don't know anyone and
I miss my familee.
 
Sure kid, come on, we will finds him and den gets you settled.  Taking
Mindy gently by the paw, off the two went, Muldoone showing her the
sights of the Rainbow Bridge and introducing her to the many many Bridge
residents who always did their best to make a new arrival feel welcome.
[Posted in FML issue 4811]