Things have been kinda quiet at the Bridge, and No. 421 was snuggled in
his cabin next to his fireplace when there was a tap on the door.
"Hello No. 421," Oliver called. "You be in der, I has a job to do, and
I needs your help. The receiving angel just dropped off a note and I
has a lot of kids to find and I don't know where to look."
No. 421 let Oliver in, and took the admitting ticket and read the list
of names, Rocko, Sprite, Oreo, Twinkie, Mick, Foley, Harley, Weasle,
Socks, Lucky, Skylar, Spaz, Ice cream, Boots, Buttons, and Stoney.
"You don't suppose this is the group over by the Ferretone Falls do
you," No. 421 said. "Why don't you run over to that camp, the one on
the far side of the meadow, and see if anyone there knows this little
girl."
Oliver started running at an easy lope over the meadow. He stopped to
say hello to a butterfly, he inquired how the Gentle Breeze was coming
along with her pushups so she could help the North Wind blow snow, and
finally, he arrived at the edge of the meadow.
A group of ferrets had made an Otter Slide and were having a great time
sliding down the bank into the empty streambed. They were covered in
mud and were dooking their heads off.
"Hey, Dook Dook, who you be," called Rocko. "What you want with us?"
"I be Oliver, currier for Bridge Greeter No. 421, and I'm here so see
if any of you are Rocko, Sprite, Oreo, Twinkie, Mick, Foley, Harley,
Weasle, Socks, Lucky, Skylar, Spaz, Ice cream, Boots, Buttons or
Stoney."
"That is us, all of us," said Rocko. "What is the matter?"
"You has a sister ferret, Patches, and she is crossing the Bridge,"
Oliver said. "My boss, No. 421, received the admitting ticket, and he
is on his way right now to greet her."
Panic erupted in the little group. "Oh my, our Patches," said Socks.
"What will we do, dis place is a mess, we are all mud? Oh my."
In the wag of a tail, the group ran to the house, and began getting
washed. The first ferrets out of the shower started cleaning up the
cabin. Ice cream began to make something to eat, while Harley
straightened up the place, Buttons took all the muddy clothes and put
them in a bucket to wash later, and in a few minutes, everything was
ready.
Back at the Bridge, No. 421 was sitting in his chair, when he saw a
small-multicolored ferret dragging a blue sleep sack step up to the
Bridge. She was a pretty little girl, and No. 421 rushed over the
bridge to the other side to help her with her sleep sack.
He took her little paw in his big one and said is his nicest voice,
"Welcome to the Rainbow Bridge."
"Hello," she said. "I hope you know where we are `cause I don't." And
she started to cry. Little silver tears dropped off her nose, and
Forget-me-nots sprouted immediately. "I had to leave my hoomans in a
hurry, and now I'se all alone."
"Now, don't cry," No. 421 said. "I'm here to help you find your other
brothers and sisters. My currier will be waiting for us, I hope, with
some good news."
Paw in paw the two ferrets crossed the Rainbow Bridge and there, on the
other side, was Oliver and Rocko, Sprite, Oreo, Twinkie, Mick, Foley,
Harley, Weasle, Socks, Lucky, Skylar, Spaz, Ice cream, Boots, Buttons,
and Stoney.
Patches looked up, dried her face on No. 421's sleeve, and pulled her
paw away from No. 421 and rushed to greet her brothers and sisters.
They dooked, hugged, sniffed, and rubbed noses for a few minutes. Then
with a wave to No. 421, Patches asked him to tell her family at home
she was here with her brothers and sisters, she blew him a kiss, and
the happy ferrets ran off over the meadow.
"Gosh, she's purdy," No. 421 said to Oliver. "Her paw was so little it
fit right into mine. Maybe I'll go see her on my next day off, you
know, just to see if she is settling in and if there is anything I can
do for her."
"I think de Receiving Angel has everything under control," Oliver said.
"He really is very good at his job. You don't need to visit her -- she
has her family now."
"I know, I know" No. 421 said. "But I'm going to check on her anyway.
Wait a minute -- I still have her sleep sack, I can bring that to her
tomorrow."
Oliver sighed and went back to his cabin. No. 421 walked slowly down
the path to his home.
He stoked up the fire, and was still smiling when he put Patches blue
sleep sack on the nightstand by his bed where it would be safe.
He wrote in his logbook -- Mission accomplished -- follow-up visit
scheduled for tomorrow. Then he blew out his candle, rubbed his cheek
where the kiss she blew him landed, and drifted off to sleep.
[Posted in FML 6164]
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