Joan and I got back after a short trip to the mall.  We had left Andy and
Nala out while we were gone.  Our place is so "ferretproof" I really wasn't
too worried (I know, I know - how about "ferret resistant"?  ferret-almost
safe?  ferret best we've been able to do after over 400 ferrets?) Anyway, we
weren't too surprised to find the refrigerator door open, a gallon of milk
on the floor, and a dozen eggs upset in the refrigerator.  That comes with
the territory.
 
What did surprise us was that the kick-plate at the bottom of the
refrigerator was out in the middle of the floor.  Now that's usual.  No
ferret has done that in four years.  It was a mild concern at first, since
there are places in there that no ferret should go.  It's not a very tall
space, though.
 
We quickly found our littlest ferret, Nala safe and sound.  Andy is a former
Hob of disproportionate size.  Nala is the only one who could possibly fit
in such a small space - right.  So, we cleaned up the milk and eggs, and I
put the kick plate back on while Joan searched for Andy.
 
I hardly stood up, when the kick plate came flying out from the bottom of
the refrigerator, landing in the middle out the kitchen floor again.  This
was followed, not by our very light silver panda with a pink nose, but this
strange dark gray ferret with a coal black nose.  Big as Andy, but didn't
look a thing like him.  Of course it WAS Andy, as three washings and
rinsings proved it.  I still don't know how he managed to climb in there,
but he did, and did a great job of cleaning the condenser coil and drip pan
and a year of collected dust bunnies.
 
Andy still won't look at Joan.  You know that ferret non-stare that they
give you?  They'll look everywhere but where you are.  That's lasted two
days now.  I think he's coming around though.  He almost took a raisin out
of Joan's hand today.
 
Dick B.
[Posted in FML issue 1903]