[Moderator's note: Greeter 421 is another of the FML's "official"
greeters. You may have read 421's ad-hoc greetings before -- I'm
happy to welcome 421 as a regular contributor. BIG]

It was very warm day at the Rainbow Bridge, and Bridge Greater No. 421
was thinking about taking a dip in the cool spring. He walked back to
his cabin and was just stepping into his shorts thinking about the cool
water flowing over the smooth rocks in the spring, when the bell on the
door tinkled.

No. 421 opened the door just a little bit. "What do you want," he said.

"Hurry up and get dressed, I has a note from de Boss, you is needed at
the Bridge," the Currier said. "I was up at the BIG HOUSE when the
gate keeper came up. Some one be comin' dat we did not expect yet. He
brought a list of ferrets that we has to round up."

No. 421 thought a minute and said, "Why don't you tell the new arrival
to come over to the spring," he said. "Dat way, I can go for a swim
and meet who ever is coming. Sounds like a plan to me."

The poor currier was all upset. "Dis one is special," he said. "Dis one
be a pretty little girl ferret. The ticket we got said we has to round
up Weasel, R.J. Rascal, Max and Herby and have them at their mound to
meet her."

No. 421 thought a minute, a pretty little girl ferret; maybe she would
like to go for a swim later.

"Okay" he said. "You go to the Meadow of Dreams and find the kids you
need to, and I'll just spruce myself up a bit and go to the Bridge."

No. 421 hurried into his best greeting clothes, slicked down his hair,
cleaned his teeth, brushed his whiskers and dashed off to his bench by
the Rainbow Bridge. He got there just in time to see a cute little girl
ferret coming slowly across the planks. She had her head down, and she
walked very slowly. When she reached the other side, she bumped right
into No. 421.

"Oh scuse me," she said. "I didn't see you. My name is Tasha, and I
have come a long way. Has I reached the Rainbow Bridge yet?"

No. 421 rose up to his full height, "Yes, you have," No. 421 said.
"Hello, I'm Bridge Greeter No. 421 and I am here to welcome you to the
Rainbow Bridge. Do you have a ticket from the Receiving Angel for me?"

"No I doesn't," Little Tasha said. "I had one, but he took it back and
gave it to a little ferret boy that I tried to say hello to, but he
just dashed off. I hopes I meets someone who wants to talk to me. I's
so lonesome and I misses my Mommy and my sister Tabitha. We always had
so much fun together."

"Well now, don't you worry, Little Tasha," No. 421 said. "The little
ferret boy you saw was under orders to find your brothers and sisters
that arrived here before you. Right now, they is planning a reception
for you."

Little Tasha's face lit up. "My brothers and sisters are here?" she
said. "They wants to see me? Oooooohhhhhhh."

No. 421 took Little Tasha by the paw, and the two of them walked around
the hill to the Meadow of Dreams. The little Currier came running up
and said "I need five more minutes, just five more minutes."

No. 421 introduced Tasha to some other ferrets that arrived several
days ago, and in a few minutes, the Currier came running back. No. 421
took Tasha by the paw and the Currier took her other paw and together
they walked toward the last grassy mound in the back of the field.
They passed several mounds that had ferrets lying outside their doors
sunning themselves, some were tending their gardens, and then a
familiar voice rang out, "Tasha, Tasha, is it really you?" said a boy
named Herby. "I have waited so long, and now you are here. I have been
collecting stuffed toys for you, come see what I have."

And taking Tasha by the hand, he led her into the mound where Weasel,
R.J. Rascal and Max jumped up and hugged her. There was much dooking
and dancing, and in the corner was a pile of stuffed toys, all arranged
for Tasha.

No. 421 took the little Currier by the paw and pulled him outside. The
two of them stood and listened to the happy sounds coming from inside
the mound, then No. 421, wiping the back of his paw across his face,
turned and the two ferrets walked back to the Bridge.

"We going for a swim now?" the Currier said. "De Boss won't mind now
that the greeting is done."

No. 421 said he would meet him back at the spring; he was going home to
get his hanky and take that whisker out of his eye. Then he would make
some ferretone floats and bring them back to the spring. In fact, he
decided, he was going to make three, just incase Tasha decided to wash
the travel dirt from her fur. "Yep," he said as he hurried along the
path. "Dat's de best idea I's had in a long, long time."

[Posted in FML 6022]