It was a beautiful day at the bridge. SaraFerret was waiting (note in
paw) for the fuzzy to cross. Then she spotted the silver boy with the
small secret backpack coming to the entrance. She stepped forward to
introduce herself, Hi I am SaraFerret, the bridgegreeter. Welcome to
de Rainbow Bridge. Dis is your new forever home. Here you will have
no more pain or suffering. You will run on green grass, have no messy
litter pans, have lotsa food and water, treats, lotsa friends and
family, did I mention fun and games.

The little silver fuzzy said, Well I am Shark and I belong to Mommy
and Daddy. They didn't tell me too much about this place. I was real
lonesome for my friends. I just felt all alone there except for one
little friend that I had. His name was Star. Do you know the other
fuzzies that left before I did? Are they here? I feel so much better
now. I can really stretch now. What are those things on your shoulders
anyway?

Questions, questions, questions. Dis boy is a regular chatterbox. Well,
Shark, I replied. Lets take dese things one at a time. First of all
dese things on my shoulders are wings. See how dey flutter? (Oh, he
was so impressed!) Hey, he asked. Do I get those? Of course you do, I
replied. Every fuzzy who crosses de bridge gets a pair.

But wait a minute. What do you have in your secret backpack? Shark
looked at me sorta shocked. Do I have to give it up, he asked. Of
course not, I replied. I am just nosey, like any fuzzy. Then he
unzipped the tiny backpack (Unlike humans, fuzzies are allowed to carry
whatever they can stuff into their secret backpacks and take it on
their bridge journeys), and took out a tiny cloth bag. I can't open it,
he said. It has all the love and hugs and kisses Mommy and Daddy gave
to me when I was on earth. That way I will have something to hold onto
while I am waiting for them. (AWWWWWW!) He carefully put the little
cloth bag back into his pack and zipped it carefully away.

We went down de garden path toward de Wing House where de wings were
stored. We opened de door and on de counter was a big box marked
"Shark." He opened de box and took out his wings--blue with gold
streaks. I helped him put dem on and adjusted his halo. Den he ran
to de big vanity mirror and gazed at his reflection. What a handsome
ferret he was, with beautiful silver fur, as fluffy as he had been
in the days of his youth. He turned to me and said, Gee I wish Mommy
could see me now. Den I gots an idea.

We went out de door and down de path toward de Misting Pond. We sat
down beside de cool clear water. With one swish he saw a vision of his
home on earth appear and his cage and his Mommy and Daddy and most of
all, Star. But dey didn't see him looking at dem, even though he was
waving and dooking with all of his might. So he starting throwing hugs,
kisses, and promises and wrapped dem with his love and laid dem on a
nearby shooting star which was headed to dere house. He asked me, do
you think they will get these and know that I sent them? Oh for sure,
they will know that you were the one, I replied. And with another swish
the vision of home was gone.

So off we headed down de path. All of a sudden he saw a "WELCOME TO THE
BRIDGE SHARK" banner strung across de trees. How did they know I was
coming, he asked? Oh we have our ways, I replied. Booger, Maxine, Maxi,
Fritz, Pepper, Prince, Bear, Buddy and Snowball were all waiting at the
cottage to greet him and they all yelled "SURPRIZE." He was so happy to
see them all. Dere was slap-tails and high-fives all around. Dey went
in de cottage and music was playing and food was spread. You could see
a party was going. Fuzzies were dancing and bouncing. Dey invited me
to stay and dance de night away, but I had to decline as I had bridge
duty. I gave Shark a hug and headed for de entrance.

At last he had reached his new forever home.

[Posted in FML 5804]