I always thought of you as my flower child, the peacemaker, the gentle
one who joined the furry 7 together as you all came from various
circumstances and for different reasons to make one ferret family.  You,
who was found wandering, tenderly taught Sparky to be part of a group as
she had been an only locked in a small cage for 3 years.  The sight of
you two curled up together will always be one of my treasured memories.
 
You and the two rowdy boys made a perfect threesome, rolling and
wrestling and collapsing in a ferret pile for a nap.  You taught them how
to dig real tunnels in the flowerbeds rather than just random holes.
 
You were Merry's playmate as Merry doesn't play quite as rough as the
rowdy boys and not as daintily as the little ladies.
 
You would wrap your warm body around Cleo, who doesn't play at all
anymore, but loves to be warm.
 
You knew what each wanted and you were happy being who they wanted you to
be.  You were a ferret's ferret, my flower child.
 
You are gone from us now, the first of the 7 at the Bridge.  We are all
struggling, the 6 furry ones and I.  I find Sparky sleeping in the boys'
cage in your sleep sack, even when the rowdy ones, who she does not
like, are in there.  Pogo is trying to find a new hiding place for his 2
treasures, which he only does when he is feeling insecure.  Pup wanders
around the house with his nose to the ground, sniffing and searching.
The Tiny One is found sleeping in your favorite spot, under the cover on
the futon on the patio just like you left it, where I've never seen her
sleep before.  And Merry is visibly depressed, not merry at all.  There
is a hole in all of our hearts.
 
There are no adrenal surgeries at the Bridge, Russ, 3 is enough; no
swollen prostate glands that Lupron would not control.  May your fur grow
back as thick and beautiful as it once was, may you eat as many Cherrios
and raisins as you want, and drink tea right out of the cup as you did
every morning with me.
 
Be healthy and happy, my flower child, and watch over the 6 that loved
you so.  You are so missed, Rusty.
 
Posted anonymously to protect the innocent, grieving ones in CA
[Posted in FML issue 3937]