I almost had to put off Buddy's Saga permanently today.  You see, Doris
disappeared for 4 hours today.  I thought that I had lost her forever.
With that being the case there was no way I could finish Buddy's Saga but
alas Doris is ok!
 
I stopped in Laramie, WY for fuel.  I checked to make sure that the kids
didn't get out when I did.  (This has never happened but there can always
be a first.) I fueled the truck and paid for it.  I then took off on the
highway again.  I only got about ten miles when I heard this scratching
noise that just didn't sound right but I was traveling through a
construction area and there was no where to pull over and investigate until
5 miles later.  I didn't worry too much because the kids are always playing
with something.
 
When I finally found a place to stop I grabbed the squeaky toy and started
squeaking.  Buddy and Sammy came to investigate but no Doris.  After a
couple of minutes I started to worry.  I figured she had found her way into
one of the hidey holes that I had blocked off and she got in and couldn't
get out.  I checked all of them and found no Doris.  I then started to panic
a little and tore the truck apart looking for her, still no Doris.  So I
started at one end and checked everywhere again.  Still, no Doris.  At this
time complete panic hit me.  I figured that she must have gotten out at the
truck stop.
 
I went back there and looked everywhere.  No Doris.  I talked to everyone
that I found and I spoke to the managers of the truck stops there and told
everyone that there was a $200 reward (a lot of people where dumbfounded
that I would offer $200 for a ferret when I could buy a new one for a lot
less.  The only answer to this is that they were DEFINITELY not ferret
people.) I called the animal shelter, all the vets in Laramie, and anyone
else that I could think of and let them know that I had lost Doris.  I also
walked all over the parking lot squeaking the toy and getting a lot of
strange looks but I really didn't care at that time.  By this time she had
been missing for about 4 hours, I was beside myself with panic and grief.
After talking to a close friend of mine, she finally got me to settle down
and think.  So after I got off the phone with her, I sat down to think.  I
picked up Sammy and Buddy and started to pray for guidance.  After about
five minutes I heard a faint scratching sound.  I looked down at Buddy and
he looked up at me with this "I didn't do it" look.  Then I heard it again.
I started following the noise.  It was coming from above the ceiling!  But
that wasn't possible ... or was it.  I ripped off a panel and found that
there was a little cubby hole at the end of the ceiling where they run wires
and stuff through.  I put my hand up there and couldn't feel anything or
hear anything.  I grabbed the squeaky toy and started squeaking it in the
hole.  Do you know that she actually had the gall to try to take the toy
away from me?  She was actually having a blast, while I was having a nervous
break down!
 
After about 5 minutes of bribing her with toys, raisins, and the like I
finally got her to come within reach when I offered her the forbidden treat.
A lick of Pepsi!  I grabbed her and held her and cried.  She couldn't figure
out how come she was getting soaking wet when there wasn't a sink around
anywhere.  I held her for about 30 minutes before I could stand to put her
down.  And then I picked her right back up <ggg>.  She was a little upset
with me for discovering her brand new hidey hole.
 
I have looked and looked and I have no idea how she got up there.  I will
continue to search to find out how she did it and then block it off.  The
only way that I can currently find is that since Buddy is a FLO agent he
must have taught Doris the art of teleportation but forgot to teach her the
rules.  That is the only way that I can currently find that she could have
gotten up there.  I guess that shows that the job of "ferret proofing" is
never done.
 
Since Doris is ok then I will be able to finish Buddy's Saga.  Watch for it
to be coming soon.
 
A very happy but rattled dad,
 
Jason
 
and of course - Sammy, Doris, and Buddy
ICQ # 7528859 (Sammy's Dad)
ICQ - www.icq.com
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2318]