The sun had set at the Rainbow Bridge leaving the cloudscape bathed in
the warm afterglow of dusk. The moon was just getting up. The stars
were waking up, getting their points untangled from the clouds, and
getting their twinkle shined up for the night. Things had been kind
of slow, and No. 421 settle himself in his comfy chair to just rest
his eyes a minute.

One star, looking down from afar, swooped low to light the path for a
really sad looking ferret trudging along the path. He had been sick
and short of breath for a long time now and he had learned to take
it easy when he was walking. The ferret looked up at the star, who was
twinkling with all his might, and saw it was really near, so near he
could almost touch it. Scooter could see the path clearly now, and he
was almost to a bridge of some sort.

He began to cross the structure, when he saw a big ferret dozing in a
chair. "Scuse me, where am I," Scooter said. No. 421, Bridge Greeter
jumped up and said in a strong voice. "Who goes there, what is your
name?"

Scooter handed No. 421 his ticket and said he was at home with his
Mommy Deb, and had just settled down for the night, when there was a
tap on his shoulder.

"There was a little ferret who fluttered his wings and said that my
time here on earth was over and he was here to take me to the Rainbow
Bridge," Scooter said. "Am I here now? It was so dark I was afraid I
was going to get lost. A friendly star lighted my way."

Scooter sat down beside No. 421. He realized he did not have to catch
his breath. In fact, he was feeling much better than he had in a long,
long time.

"I'se feeling so much better, maybe I could go back to my Mommy Deb,"
Scooter said. "She is awful sad that I had to leave. I would like her
to know that I am here, I am feeling good, and I would like to give her
a kiss."

"Tell you what," No. 421 said. "Lets go over to the edge of the Meadow
of Dreams where the little stars play and find one to take a kiss from
you to Momma Deb."

The two ferrets walked quietly over the edge of the Meadow and looked
at all the little stars studying their twinkling lessons. No. 421
called one over and told her to take a kiss from Scooter to Mommy Deb.

Scooter placed a kiss on the tip of one point, and the little star shot
across the sky to shower his Momma Deb with the kiss while she slept.

As they watched the little star leave, a tear slipped slowly down
Scooters nose and fell at his feet. No. 421 put his arm around his
shoulders and told him that his Momma was going to be all right, and
he could wait for her in the Meadow of Dreams.

"When it is her time to come you will be waiting here for her," No. 421
said. "It will be nice for her to have someone to greet her so she will
not be alone."

"You are sure she won't forget me," Scooter asked No. 421.

"No, no, I know she won't," No. 421 said. As Scooter looked down at his
feet, there were Forget-Me-Nots blooming where his tears had fallen.

"Why don't you sit with me at the Bridge until morning when we will
find you a mound to move into until your hooman mama comes for you,"
No. 421 said? "You can help me greet another fuzzy if one comes our
way."

The two ferrets sat down together and No. 421 felt like he had family
at last. Scooter snuggled up to him, and the two just enjoyed the quiet
night.

The little star was back from his journey and said Momma Deb was
crying, and told Scooter to send warm wishes to her. "That way
(twinkle, twinkle) you will always live in her heart," the little star
said. "When she closes her eyes, she will see your face, and you will
always be near her till she comes for you."

The little star twinkled off to find his friends, and Scooter asked No.
421 how Momma Deb was going to find him.

"Tomorrow, we will take your ticket back to the Receiving Angel
ourselves and tell him to mark his book," No. 421 said. "When Momma
Deb comes here, we will know. She will have a ticket with your name
on it. My currier Oliver will go to your mound and bring you here to
greet her."

Scooter seemed happy, but he was tired from his long walk. He snuggled
down in No. 421's arms and went to sleep.

No. 421 held little Scooter while he slept. In a short time dawn would
break sending long fingers of gold across the pussy willow gray skies.

Little Oliver came up and asked No. 421 if he was needed. No. 421
smiled and said he had everything under control. Scooter was resting,
he was out of pain, and was comfortable knowing his Mommy Deb would
find him one day. No. 421 liked night duty at the Bridge. He could
always sneak in a nap or two.

No. 421, greeting your ferrets at the Rainbow Bridge.

[Posted in FML 6074]