The days were getting longer and No. 421 and Oliver were already planning their garden. Oliver was taking a break from picking up the fallen branches and thinking about when he could go fishing. Gentle Breeze was on his way to see Shooting Star and stopped and twirled around No. 421. "Don't look now, but Bluebird is headed your way," he said. Then he was gone. Oliver was turning over the flowerbeds when Bluebird flew up and landed on her perch. She had a ticket in her beak and removing it gently with one foot, she called Oliver to come and get it. "Hi Bluebird," he said. What have you got there, looks like a ticket." Bluebird gave Oliver the ticket and told him to see that No. 421 took care of it right away. Due to problems in the airways the greeting was late and the Receiving Angel hated to leave anyone standing at the bridge. She ruffled her feathers, said good by to Oliver and flew back to the gate. Oliver took the ticket into the cabin where No. 421 was chopping raisins for a stew. "We have a ferret named Bacon crossing," he said. "She has family here already. Why don't you finish chopping those raisins and I'll look for the family." Who are you looking for," No. 421 asked. "I might know them." Oliver took the ticket out of his pocket again and read each name. I'm looking for Sir Didimus, Monk, Grissom, Raja and Peter who was her first love. "Hmmmm," said No. 421. "That sounds like the crew over by the cloud dunes. You know that nice little ranch mound with the out door grills. I think that is who you are looking for." No. 421 told Oliver to hurry up and find the family, he would put the stew on to simmer and meet him at the bridge. Oliver slipped into his boots as the ground was still muddy, and started for the dunes. The place was picture perfect, with long, low, buildings and fenced in gardens. The ferrets that lived there worked hard to keep their place up. Oliver ran down the path and was just opening the gate when one of the ferrets came around the corner of the shed. "Hi there," Oliver said. "What might your name be?" "I am Sir Didimus," the fellow said. "Do you have business here and to whom did you wish to speak?" "I'm Oliver, currier for Bridge greeter No. 421," he said. "I am here to tell you that Bacon will be coming over and I would like to have some of her family there to meet her." Sir Didimus just stared at Oliver. "You mean our little Bacon is going to be here with us," he said. "Hey fellers, come out here, Bacon is crossing and we need to greet her with, what's your name, oh yes, Oliver." Four ferrets came tumbling out of the house, Monk, Grissom, Raja and Peter all came running to Sir Didimus. "Let's go," Monk shouted. "Come on, we'll be late, can't have our Bacon all alone and crying." With that, the ferrets closed up the ranch mound and started off with Oliver to the bridge. No. 421 just arrived at the bridge when he heard someone sniffing. A pretty little ferret was standing by the corner post of the bridge surrounded by a circle of blue Forget-Me- Nots. She was sobbing her little heart out. No. 421 went over and put his big paw under her little chin. "What is the matter," he said? Why are you crying?" Bacon gulped a time or two and then said she was crying because she was all alone and she missed her Mom and other ferret family. Mom and I went for a ride and I fell asleep and I woke up here," she said. "A big man with white wings asked me to put my paw print in a book and pointed me to a bridge. He said I was to cross it, and I did and there is no one I know here." She dissolved into tears again. "Now that is not quite true," No. 421 said. "I think I have someone coming that will make you very very happy. Come over here and sit with me for a few minutes. They should be here any time now." In the distance you could hear many voices talking. They were coming closer. Little Bacon put her nose up and it twitched a time or two. She sniffed again. Then she started to cry all over again. "I thought you were through crying," No. 421 said. "What is the matter now?" Bacon looked at No. 421 with mournful eyes and said, "For a minute, I thought my love Peter was here. I thought I caught his scent, but that cannot be. I do not know where he went, he just went away." The voices became louder and Oliver and several ferrets came over the hill. Bacon looked up again, her nose twitched and then she started to run towards the group of ferrets. "Peter, Peter, is it really you," she said. Peter stepped out of the pack and rushed to Bacon and the two hugged. Peter kissed her wet cheeks and held her tight. "You are finally here," he said. "I won't be alone anymore. You can come and live in our ranch mound and we will be together forever." Monk, Grissom, Raja and Sir Didimus all came running to see Bacon. It would be nice to have her on the ranch. No. 421 and Oliver watched the happy reunion. "Well," No. 421 said, "if it's all settled that you are going to live with family at the mound ranch, I guess we can all go home". Oliver picked all the Blue Forget-Me-Nots and brought them over to Bacon. "Here, take these with you to brighten your new home," he said. Bacon took the flowers and sent Oliver a smile that lit up her whole face. The happy crew started off for home and Oliver and No. 421 went down the path to their cabin. Oliver stirred the stew and set the table, No. 421 wrote in his logbook. Mission accomplished, Bacon is with family and has been reunited with Peter, her first love. She is a very nice ferret girl, but she cries an awful lot. I think, now that she is with Peter, she will be happier. Oliver ladled the stew into the bowls and the two sat down to their supper. [Posted in FML 7006]