Santa was very busy doing Santa things. He had come down the chimney
and was quietly placing gifts and munching on cookies and milk.
Suddenly he paused, the slightest sound reaching his ears. He slowly
turned and there in the door way stood the tiniest ferret. She was a
little sable with a speckled nose and big black eyes that stared at
him. El stood there for a moment and finally said "Santaz iz dat
realliez youz?

Santa smiled and said "yes El it really is me. What are you doing up
so late? Shouldn't you be getting your sleep so you can be bouncy for
the big day tomorrow?"

El thought on this a moment. See, El was an old girl and very shy as a
long time ago she had been in a bad place and had seen bad things and
had to ponder before she did anything just to make sure.

"I wasz ups cause my buddeez Fonzerelly, hez nots feelinz too goodz and
ya knowz hez kindaz likes meez as he'z oldz. I'z heardz momz talkint
on dat phony ting wit da vetz and I'z scaredz as he'z doinz bad cause
da medicinz, theyz nots workinz. Santa, thought for a moment and
reached his hand down to El. She gingerly sniffed his glove then
gently climbed on.

Santa went to the table and sat down with El in his lap, or at least,
her on top of it. Santa said " El I know you're scared for Fonzerelly
as you love him but is it ok to show you something?"

She thought and said "ok"

Santa picked his hand up and swept it in the air and suddenly a
beautiful gold shimmer surrounded the room. Things started to
materialize and lo and behold El saw a beautiful, huge, arched bridge
that shimmered with every color of the rainbow. Beyond it you could
see woods and streams and pastures and villages so much you could not
see the end. Flowers were everywhere and butterflies and all sorts of
beautiful things. In the distance El saw a group of ferrets dooking and
dancing and chasing each other in the perfect weather, not too cold and
not too hot. El then noticed some people, too, sitting on the ground
playing with the ferrets. There were bunnies and dogs and cats and
horses and all sorts of other pets. Everyone seemed to be having fun
or eating yummy food.

El stared and stared. She looked up at Santa and said "whatz iz dis
plaze?"

Santa said "this is the Rainbow Bridge. It's where all of the pets and
their caretakers go when it's time to move on to the next place.

"It'zz wunderfulz" El says!

"Yes it is El. Not many little ferrets get to see this beforehand but
I wanted to show you where your special Fonzerelli will go when it is
his turn to leave here so you will not be afraid. When your mom moves
on she will be with him and you also along with all the other pets that
your mom has loved over her lifetime. It's a very special place."

El thought again and looked up at Santa and said "thankeez Santaz, I
feelz betters nowz. I'z willz miss dat Fonz but nowz I'z knowz hez
willz be allz rights."

Santa nodded like only Santa can and gently put El back down on the
floor. As he finished his work and was about to leave he noticed El
had gone. El trotted down the hall to mom's bedroom where Fonzerelly
was sleeping on a big soft special bed. He woke up as she snuggled
next to him. He was still breathing harder than normal with sad eyes
as he wasn't feeling very good tonight.

El said "Fonz! Youz ups?"

"yesz elzz. Wherez youz beenz?"

"I'z beenz wit dat Santaz in da bigs roomz wits dat bigs treez in its!
I'z so excitez, dat Santaz he showz mez a wonderfulz plaze Fonz! Itz
wherez all uz petz goes afterz we leavez herez . Evenz moms willz be'z
dere somedayz!!."

Fonz laid his head on El and said "I'z knowz Elz"

El looked at Fonz and said "howz?"

Fonz said " seez whenz itz close to a ferretz timez to leavez herez
all za odder kidz dat haz lefts beforez comez to visitz and tellz
youz aboutz da Bridge so'z we'z nots afraidz. Whens weez movez onz
zeyz comes to getz us to showz us da way."

"oh' El says, "datz so coolz! I'z scaredz forz yous fonzzz andz I'z
gonnaz miz yous sooozzz much buts I'z betterz now abouts it."

"I'z willz miss youz tooz Elzz" Fonz says. "but weez willz seez each
odders againz der"

"I luvss youz Fonz" El says.

"I luvss youz tooz Elzz" Fonz says. "Merryz Christmaz"

NJP

[Posted in FML 7622]