Greetings for TinkerBella

No. 421 had just opened his eyes when there was a tapping on his
windowpane. Bluebird was fluttering her wings and tapping on the glass.

"Hey No. 421, get up, I have a greeting for you," she said. "We have
a little girl named TinkerBella who is coming to meet her cage mates
Carly and Ms. Annie."

No. 421 was just toddling to the door when Oliver whisked past him and
opened the door.

"Hi Bluebird," Oliver said. "I heard you say we has a new little girl
named TinkerBella crossing. Is she cute? Look, No. 421 -- why don't you
go back to bed and let me do this one for you. I'll be ready in a swish
of my tail."

"Hold on, Oliver," No. 421 said. "We will go together. After all, I
like cute little girls too."

Oliver was already half way to the shower while No. 421 began to pick
out his best shirt. Bluebird left the ticket on the kitchen table and
just slipped out the door. Those two were something else.

No. 421 picked up the ticket and read it. "Hey Oliver," he shouted
over the water, you need to find Carly and Ms. Annie. Aren't they the
two that are in that mound down by the silver stream?"

"Yea, I think so," Oliver said. He had just stepped out of his room,
dressed as if he was going to a ball.

No. 421 decided not to say anything, and the two friends started out,
Oliver for Carly and Ms. Annie; No. 421 for the Bridge.

Oliver started over the Meadow of Dreams. He could hear the tinkling
of the stream as it rushed over the rocks. Maybe he could come and see
TinkerBella and they could sit by that nice stream. Maybe she would
think he was something special, he would have to see.

He knocked on the mound door, and Ms. Annie opened the curtain. "Oh
Hello Oliver," she said. "Where are going all dressed up. Is there a
wedding, should I be making a wedding cake?"

"Ah, er, no, Ms. Annie" Oliver said. "I'm actually here to see you and
Carly. Your sister TinkerBella is crossing, and No. 421 would like you
to be here to greet her."

"TinkerBella is coming," Ms. Annie said. "Carly, Carly, hurry up,
TinkerBella is arriving and we need to be there. Where is she, at the
Bridge?"

"Well, yes, Oliver said, and I am here to escort you up there," he
said, sweeping his hat off with a flair.

"No need for that," Carly said as the two sisters rushed out the door,
knocking Oliver over in their rush.

Oliver just sat there in his dress suit, which was getting wet, with
mud on his face. This was not at all what he planned. He jumped to his
paws, and tried to brush the mud off of his clothes. The mud stuck,
and try as he would, brushing only made it worse.

No. 421 was in his chair as the bridge began to sway and a cute little
ferret girl began to cross.

"Hello Miss," No. 421 said. "Would you be TinkerBella? I have a ticket
here that says you are coming over today and have family here."

"Yes, I am TinkerBella," said a small voice. "Where am I and how did
I get here?"

"You are at the Rainbow Bridge," No. 421 said, and you will soon be
well and happy here. You will wait with your family for your Momma
Susan to come and get you. Susan took extra special care of you and
she loves you very much. One day, she will be here also, and you will
all be together again."

TinkerBella began to cry. Big silver tears rolled down her cheeks and
dropped to the ground. Blue Forget-Me-Nots sprung up where they fell.

"Oh look at the pretty flowers," TinkerBella said. "I should make a
garden of these for when my Momma Susan comes."

No. 421 was just about to tell her she could do just that, when there
was a flutter of activity on the path to the Bridge. Carly and Ms.
Annie rushed up the hill and over to TinkerBella.

"Hi TinkerBella," Ms Annie said. "Welcome to the Rainbow Bridge. We
sure have missed you and are glad you made the trip safely."

Carly hugged TinkerBella and the three ferrets began dooking all at
once. No. 421 stood back. When they had hugged enough, TinkerBella
said she would like to send a message back to her Momma and tell her
she was here with Carly and Ms. Annie, and would wait for her.

Shooting Star said she would send a message home on Gentle Breeze.
"I will tell her to brush a kiss from you against Momma Susan's cheek
when she is out and about," Shooting Star said.

"Thank you, TinkerBella said. "Now I will go home with my sisters and
we can catch up on all the news from Momma's home."

The three ferrets started back down the path, and No. 421 decided to
go home and have breakfast. He wondered what happened to Oliver.

"Pssst, are they gone," said a voice from the bushes. No. 421 looked
closely, and there was Oliver, covered in mud, hiding in the leaves
with his hat over one eye.

"What are you doing in there?" No. 421 said.

"Ssshhhh" replied Oliver. "Don't ask, just tell me when the path is
clear. I, aahhh, did just what you said, and now I have some washing
to do."

Oliver was quiet all the way home, and went right to his room. No. 421
shook his head and put the oatmeal on to cook. He wrote in his logbook,
Mission Completed. TinkerBella is united with her family, and Oliver is
in the shower for the second time in an hour. His clothes are in the
basket by the door for the Laundry Ferret who will pick up our wash
later today. I'm doin' the best I can with him Boss, but I cannot
imagine what he got into today, and I don't dare ask.

[Posted in FML 6527]