I was right in the middle of my morning tea when the Boss handed me my
new-arrivals list.  I thought that I wouldn't be having any fuzzies to
greet this morning, but sometimes out of nowhere they come.  I took a
nice hot swallow of my tea, put the cup down for later, and headed off
for the Bridge.  As I walked to the Bridge, the Boss joined up with me
to keep me company.  It was quite an honor, and I was glad to have him
there to tell me about my very new arrival since all I knew about my new
arrival was his name -- Dewey.
 
The Boss told me that there was nothing really special about Dewey.  He
was just your average fuzzy.  He had lots of brothers and sisters in the
Hoomin world, as well as up here at the Bridge.  He liked tennis balls a
lot.  And in the end, Dewey took on a sickness that many, many ferrets
had taken on, and had left for the Bridge while the fuzzy doctor in the
Hoomin world was still trying to save him.
 
But I have learned a little something about the Boss.  There is always
more to his words than meets the eye.  He continued to walk with me as he
talked, making it a point to walk with me no faster or slower than I was
walking, myself.  After telling me a bit more about Dewey, the Boss
became very quiet.  I said nothing as we approached the Bridge.
 
Dewey was at the Bridge waiting for us.  He had a brand new body, free
from sickness, and a very old tennis ball in his mouth.  I introduced
myself to him, but he was well aware of where he was, and was not
bothered in the least by being here.  He and I talked for quite some time
while the Boss left us for a bit.  I had already found out from talking
to the Boss that Dewey had brothers and sisters here waiting for him.
Dewey was very excited about being able to see them, and I took him to go
meet them all - Xanth, Pixie, Calix, and Skittles.  As one might imagine,
Dewey had a very nice reunion with his brothers and sisters.  After I
left Dewey with his brothers and sisters, the Boss met up with me again.
 
The Boss told me about Dewey and his hoomin family, and about the fuzzies
from Dewey's family who had come to the Bridge before him.
 
Nobody in Dewey's family, including Dewey, had ever been anything but
calm and peaceful about coming to the Bridge.  Many times, fuzzies were
confused and a bit scared by their new surroundings, but that simply
wasn't true of any of the fuzzies in Dewey's family.  It was as if they
all knew that things were going to be alright, no matter what horrendous
thing had happened to them to bring them here.  The Boss told me that he
credited that to their wonderful hoomin mom, Ann.
 
It seemed that Ann had a heart filled with more faith than the Boss had
seen in some time.  She completely trusted the Boss to take care of her
babies, and had not one doubt in her mind that her babies would be safe
in his hands.  Ann was a hoomin of faith, and never asked the Boss for
this thing, or that thing; all Ann had ever asked was for the Boss to
take care of her babies as he saw fit.  She was perfectly at peace
leaving her fuzzy family in his hands.
 
The Boss was very taken with Ann and her family of fuzzies.  He told me
that it wasn't very often that he met someone who had her faith.
Earlier, I had watched Dewey and his family here at the Bridge, and it
was just as the Boss had described.  None of them seemed upset or sad at
being here.  It was if they knew that their time in this place would only
last for the blink of an eye, and that Ann would soon come for them to
take them home...
 
Because of Ann's faith, the Boss always made sure to be there at the
Bridge to watch over her babies as the arrived.  Now, the Boss always
watched over any and all fuzzies who arrived at the Bridge -- don't
be confused about that!  But the Boss always managed to keep his word
to those who had especially asked him for it, even if it was only to
keep a watchful eye over their loved ones.  It was what he owed his
faithful, and he would never let them down.  After all, it was what Ann
had counted on.
 
I went back to my hidey-hole to finish my tea, somewhat cold by now, but
my mind was still on Dewey and his family.  I understood a bit better
about Dewey, and even a bit more about the Boss.  My tea might have been
cold, but no matter - my heart had been warmed.  That was more than
enough.
 
Sandee
[Posted in FML issue 5204]