I had no new arrivals this morning, so I decided to take a walk up by
the Bridge.  With all the newly-arriving fuzzies, one never has the
time to stop and admire the Bridge.  It really is a beautiful place.
 
The outer portions of the Bridge are made of large differently-colored
stones, and the planks are made of very old cherry wood.  The entire
area surrounding the Bridge is covered in lush greenery and tall trees.
Underneath it runs a small stream, and one can hear the relaxing sounds
of water running over time-polished rocks.
 
I had planned to have my tea by the Bridge and admire the view, but as
I approached it I heard the strangest sound.  It didn't sound anything
like the sound a fuzzy makes.  Fuzzies dook and hiss, and sometimes even
chatter when hoomins accidentally step on their toe, but this sound was
totally different.  I remembered hearing this sound before.  It was a
long sound, a sound that made you feel sad inside.  I knew I had heard
that sound before!  I walked a bit closer.
 
There was a strange creature sitting on the Bridge.  It was much bigger
than a fuzzy.  It had it's eyes closed and it's nose in the air, and it
continued to make that same sad sound.  I remembered now.  This was
definitely not a fuzzy; this was a dog!  And not just any dog -- this
dog had the longest ears I had ever seen on any living thing!  They were
so long they almost reached the planks of the Bridge.  It is not too
often that we get creatures other than fuzzies here, but the Boss has
been known to make exceptions for special cases.  He is an old softie.
 
I asked the dog what it's name was.  She stopped howling, lowered her
nose, and then proceeded to shake her head, her big ears flapping loudly
like someone shaking a rug.  She told me her name was Violet and asked
where she was.  I told her she was at the Bridge.  She cocked her head
and asked me what a Bridge was.  I told her that the Bridge is where
fuzzies went to wait for their hoomins to join them one day.  Violet
huffed a bit and said that she knew about fuzzies, but what was she doing
here?  I told her I didn't know, but if she gave me a minute I would talk
to the Boss and find out.
 
I met the Boss just a little way from the Bridge behind an old maple
tree.  I asked him if Violet being here was some kind of mistake, but I
already knew that the Boss didn't make very many mistakes.  He told me
that Violet was a very special dog, a dog that had spent so much time
with fuzzies that she was almost a fuzzy, herself.  Violet was fifteen
years old, very old for a dog.  Back in the Hoomin world she was very
sick and it was getting harder for her to breathe.  Violet had tried
really hard to stay, but her mom and dad knew it was her time and, sadly,
they let her go.  The Boss had decided that since Violet had fuzzy
brothers and sisters here, she could wait at the fuzzy Bridge until her
mom and dad came to get them all.
 
As I headed back towards the Bridge, I heard Violet making that lonesome
sad sound again.  It was as if she were crying.  I asked her why she was
crying and she told me she missed her mom and dad and all of her fuzzy
brothers and sisters.  I told her that everything was going to be alright
and I went to give her a big hug - but she took her huge tongue and
licked my entire face before I could get my paws around her!  My entire
face was wet and my glasses rested crookedly on my nose.  Oh, for Pete's
sake!  I wiped off the dog slobber, straightened my glasses, and told
Violet to follow me.  I had some fuzzies who were anxious to meet her.
 
We walked together back towards the hidey-holes and met up with Violet's
fuzzy brother and sisters - Oscar, Tori, and Princess.  They were very
excited and glad to see their old friend again!  Oscar and Tori nestled
themselves under Violet's long ears, and Princess gave Violet's nose
bunches and bunches of kisses.  Violet was so happy to see them all that
she almost licked them silly!  They talked for a long time about their
life back in the Hoomin world and how much they missed everyone.  Their
reunion was so natural; it was as if they had never been apart.
 
After a bit, Violet noticed something was different about her brother and
sister fuzzies.  They had something growing on their backs that she
didn't recognize from the Hoomin world.  I explained to Violet that those
were their wings, and that all fuzzies get wings when they come to the
Bridge.  Oscar, Tori, and Princess all did a war-dance and leapt into the
air.  They flew around a bit, showing off as Violet watched them, and
then landed back on the ground.  Violet asked if she might be getting
wings, too?
 
Oh, my... that was going to be a problem.  I explained to Violet that we
only had wings for fuzzies here.  We hadn't expected any dogs, and the
Boss didn't have any wings here big enough to fit a dog.  Violet was very
upset that she would not be able to fly with her brother and sisters.
She lowered her nose and huffed at the ground, and then raised it up and
made that sad sound again.  Oh, when a dog makes that sound one can feel
a sadness that goes right into your bones!  I had to think of something.
Violet stopped howling long enough to shake her head and flap her
gigantic ears.  I think I had an idea...
 
I told Oscar, Tori, and Princess to stand back away from Violet, just
for a bit, then I told Violet to shake her head just like she had done a
minute ago.  She shook her head and I could feel the breeze coming from
her ears.  This might work.  I told Violet to shake her head hard, as
hard as she could.  Violet stiffened up and shook for all she was worth.
Her big ears flapped back and forth and blew dust and leaves into the
air.  The flapping of her ears was so loud that I had to yell,
"Violet, just a little harder honey, you're almost there!"
 
Violet started to rise off the ground!  Oscar, Tori, and Princess started
dooking, cheering her on.  Violet rose completely off the ground and
started to move forwards.  This was going to work!  Her brother and
sisters, still dooking, war-danced into the air and joined her.  They
showed Violet how to maneuver herself in the air, and pretty soon they
were all flying around and dogfighting with each other!  The noise was
deafening; ears were flapping, fuzzies were dooking, and Violet was
barking her fool head off!
 
Later on, Violet asked me if she would ever be able to visit her dog
sister April, who was over at the dog Bridge.  Her mom and dad told her
that April would be waiting there for her.  I told her that I didn't see
why not, especially since she had learned to fly.  Flying was the only
way one could get to the dog Bridge.  Violet smiled a very wide dog
smile, and licked my face again.  Oh, my goodness!  I straightened my
glasses one more time as I watched her fly off to visit April.  I was
going to need a bath to wash all this dog slobber off my fur, so I
decided to head home.  I was very glad that everything had worked out
for Violet.  Maybe I would even make myself another cup of tea after
my bath.
 
Sandee
[Posted in FML issue 5154]