MOUNTIE CROSSES THE THRESHOLD

A “DUE SOUTH” RAINBOW BRIDGE STORY

by Paul E. Jamison

 

The grass was soft and smelled wonderful.  The Sun was warm, and a gentle breeze was blowing.  Overhead the sky was a clear blue.

 

"Ray?"

 

Ray Vecchio raised up on his elbows and looked around. Constable Benton Fraser was sitting next to him on the grass.  Ray smiled and said, "Hey, Benny.  I must've dozed off.  I was laying here thinking of this weird dream I was having."

 

"What was it about, Ray?"

 

"Yeah. I'd come up from Florida to visit, and I got mixed up in helping you and Kowalski track down these terrorists that had a nuclear bomb set up somewhere in Chicago."

 

"…Really."

 

"Yeah, really. We ended up in a pretty nasty shootout in some warehouse – I think Dief got shot – and it all came down to you and me defusing the nuke.  We actually did it, too, but we still had to worry about the detonator –"

 

'– because the detonator consisted of three sticks of dynamite wired with a timer, and if we weren't careful, it could still go off."

 

"Hey, that's right!  How did you know that?"

 

Fraser looked at his friend for a few seconds and softly replied, "Because it wasn't a dream, Ray.  All that really happened.  We really did disarm a nuclear bomb. Then the dynamite exploded right in our faces."

 

Ray blinked and looked around. Looking up, he said, "And that above us is…?"

 

"The Rainbow Bridge, Ray."

 

"Like you told Stan and me about?"

 

"Yes."

 

"I see."  Then Ray smiled brightly and said, "Then I must be dreaming now.  I eat too much of Mom's cooking, and this is what it gets me. Oh, well, if this is a nightmare, it's a real peaceful one."

 

"Ray…"

 

"Though I suppose this coat I'm wearing might qualify for a nightmare, though not by much.  The fabric is nice, but I can do without the stupid hood.  And look at these pockets!  I can't believe how deep they are!  I look like Captain Kangaroo!"

 

"Ray!"

 

"…What?"

 

"This isn't a dream, Ray."

 

"C'mon, Benny! I have to be dreaming all this!  Otherwise…” He didn't finish the thought.

 

"Well, if it's a dream, I'm dreaming the same thing."

 

"Now that is not a valid argument, Benny!  For all I know, I'm just dreaming that you're telling me this!  You're not really experiencing this, it's just part of my dream that you are!"

 

Fraser frowned.  "I had a hard time following that.  Look at it this way, Ray.  Do you usually dream this vividly?"

 

Ray said slowly, "No…” Then he snapped his fingers and said, "But for all I know, I'm not really dreaming vividly, I'm just dreaming that's it's vivid!  Once I wake up, it'll be as murky as any other dream I have!"

 

Fraser looked very confused. "Ray, that line of reasoning has its valid points…"

 

"Look, Fraser, I'm saying this is a dream, and I'll keep on saying it!  Because if I find out you and Kowalski have gotten me killed, I'll never speak to either one of you again for the rest of my life!"

 

"Excuse us, but are we interrupting something important?"

 

Ray and Fraser looked behind them.  There, standing on their hind legs, were two ferrets, one dark-colored and one white.  The dark-colored one really caught the eye, since he was dressed in a red serge tunic and Stetson that were miniature replicas of Fraser's own uniform.

 

Fraser grinned from ear to ear and said, "Murphy! Sammy!  It's good to see you again!"

 

The white ferret replied, "And it's good to see you again, Benny, but it's unfortunate that it had to be so soon."

 

Fraser sighed. "I know.  I would have put it off a while longer if I'd been given the choice.  But we weren't.  It's all right.  It may not seem that way, but I'm sure that a person isn't taken before it's his time to go."

 

Ray asked, "Is that an Inuit belief, Benny?"

 

"I don't know, Ray.  But I do know that it's what I believe.  But I really should make introductions!  Murphy, Sammy, this is Ray Vecchio. He's my friend."

 

Ray wasn't sure quite what to do, so he extended his hand out.  Murphy and Sammy put their paws around his fingers.  Murphy smiled and said, "Welcome to the Rainbow Bridge, Ray.  It's an honor to meet a friend of Benny's."

 

Ray felt a vague urge to yell, "Oh, my God, talking ferrets!” but he knew that would just be going through the motions for the sake of a punch line.  Instead, he said, "Pleased to meet you, too."  He began to relax.  Dream or not, folks were friendly here.

 

Fraser asked, "Diefenbaker made his own journey shortly before we did, so I'm sure he's already found his way here.  Am I correct?"

 

Sammy replied, "You are; he came through yesterday.  He'll be glad to see you. He's been so worried about you since all that bad stuff happened back there."

 

Murphy said, "Dief's been spending all the time with some little ones at Kodo's Hill.  He didn't waste any time looking them up!"

 

"The kittens?"

 

"The kittens.  Why don't we go over and meet them?"

 

Fraser replied, "I would like that very much."  As he got to his feet, he asked, "Shall I give you a ride?"

 

Murphy said, "Certainly! Just like before!"  Fraser held his arm down and the ferret scrambled up to his shoulder.

 

Ray looked over at Sammy and said, "Well, I may as well be fair about this.  Mind if I give you a ride, fella?"

 

Sammy smiled and replied, "I would love to, Ray."  He climbed up Ray's sleeve.

 

Ray took a good look at his rider and frowned. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but what is that you're wearing on your head?"

 

Sammy grinned and answered, "It's a yarmulke.  My Mommy back on Earth is Jewish, and I wear this to honor her and her beliefs."

 

"Oh. Oh, dear."

 

"Is there something wrong, Ray?"

 

"Well, I don't know, Benny… Look, if this little guy's Jewish, should I even be here?  I was raised Roman Catholic!"

 

Sammy smiled a soft little smile.  "Don't worry about it, Ray.  This place is about love – details about religious beliefs don't matter. If you weren't meant to be here, you wouldn't be."

 

Ray shrugged.  "Can't argue with that."

 

Fraser took a closer look at Murphy.  "I remember you wanted to have a uniform of your own.  It looks like you got your wish."

 

Murphy grinned.  He was obviously proud of the uniform.  "Yep!  The Rainbow Bridge Ferret Police at your service, SIR!"

 

"Very good.  And what are the duties of an RBFP constable?"

 

"Well… wearing a cool uniform is about it."

 

"And I must say the uniform looks great on you!"

 

Ray said, "I have to agree.  I never was much for those silly pictures of animals wearing clothes, but that tunic fits you just fine!"

 

Fraser said, "Yes, it fits quite well.  I do want to ask one question of you, Murphy – I presume there are no guns here, so why do you need the Sam Browne belt?"

 

"Oh, I carry some special supplies in the holster."  He unsnapped the flap and took out a raisin.

 

Fraser nodded. "Understood. Very important supplies." They set off for Kodo's Hill.

 

After they'd walked for some distance, Ray said, "Benny, let me see if I understand this Rainbow Bridge place.  From what you told me, this is where pets go to wait for their owners after they've died, right?"

 

"That's correct."

 

"Well, what about those folks who'd never had any pets? Why would they come here if there's no one waiting for them? Why don't they just go right on ahead to – wherever they're going?"

 

"I'm not sure I can answer that one – why do you ask?"

 

"Well…  I'm wondering why I'm here.  I never had any pets growing up.  Assuming I'm dreaming, of course."

 

"H'm.  Well, you were with me, but that doesn't answer your question. Murphy, can you or Sammy shed some light on this?"

 

Ray looked at Sammy. "Oops, pardon me. I probably should've asked one of you guys first.  It's force of habit – Fraser's usually the one with all the answers."

 

Sammy replied, "That's quite all right.  This is all new to you, I know.  Why are you here?  I can't say specifically.  But everything that happens here has a reason.  I'm sure you came here because you were meant to, and you'll find out why when the time comes."

 

Fraser sighed and said to Ray, "Now you know what it was like talking to my Father."

 

 

Kodo's Hill hadn't changed a bit from the last time Fraser had seen it. It was surrounded by the same little grove of trees, with the same lovely view of the meadow and hills under the Bridge. And, just like before, there was Diefenbaker watching over five little kittens.  The reception that Fraser got this time, however, was completely different.

 

Last time the kittens had been terrified of him.  But now, the first kitten to notice Fraser and his friends squealed with delight and yelped, "They're here, guys!"

 

Diefenbaker looked around at Fraser, shouted "Hi, Dad!" and ran to him as fast as he could. Murphy, who had experience in situations like this one, jumped off Fraser's shoulder just before the wolf knocked the human flat on the ground, where he covered his face with wolf kisses.  The kittens couldn't run as fast as Diefenbaker, but they got there in good enough time and swarmed over Fraser, squeaking and purring and using their own raspy little tongues to greet him.

 

Ray stood there and watched.  He'd seen Fraser happy before, but never like this – laughing and hugging the wolf and cuddling the kittens. Ray wasn't quite sure how he should feel about it all.

 

Fraser picked up a little orange and white tabby and gave her a mock frown.  He said, "I would have thought someone would have adopted you youngsters long before now.  Was everyone else that picky, or did you actually wait all this time for us?"

 

A little tiger boy with a black smudge on his nose piped up, "We waited for you!  We didn't want to be with no-one else.  You're nice! We wanted to be your furkids!"

 

The little orange and white girl said in a shy little voice, "We want to be with you forever."

 

Fraser stroked her head.  "Well, I guess it's no use arguing with that.  Now we just have to go through the formalities of adoption.  I assume there are formalities here, Murphy?"

 

The Sable ferret answered, "Oh, yes.  Not that there's much chance of an adoption being rejected; anyone that comes here is almost sure to be a suitable parent."  Then the ferret grinned. "However, in this case, that's all neither here nor there.  The formalities are over and done with because someone else adopted these kids earlier today."

 

At Fraser's frown, all the kittens started yapping with glee.  The tiger said, "Dief adopted us today! He's our Daddy now!  We're all little wolf cubs!"  And he proceeded to make squeaky little growls.

 

Another kitten said, "We like Dee-fen-ba-ker –" He was obviously proud of getting it right. "– and he was real sad when he came here yesterday.  Adopting all of us helped."

 

Fraser looked at the little orange girl and said, "Well I'll be.  That must make me your grandfather."  He smiled at the wolf. "Congratulations!  You have a fine family here."

 

Deifenbaker wagged his tail and replied, "These youngsters certainly have a fine grandfather."

 

Fraser looked at the wolf for a few moments without saying a word. Then he patted him and said softly, "We've been through so much together.  I'm glad we're together now."

 

Diefenbaker answered, "And we'll stay together for all time."

 

Fraser looked over at Ray and said, "I'm being a poor host – I should make introductions.  Children, this is Ray Vecchio.  He's my friend and a good man."

 

One of the kittens said, "You must be a good man if you came here! They don't let no bad men here!"

 

Ray replied, "Well, they must think I'm a good guy – they haven't thrown me out yet.  You ask me, somebody slipped up in Records. Things like that happen."

 

Fraser said, "You know, it occurs to me that I don't even know your names.  Do you even have names?"

 

It turned out that the kittens did and they proceeded to introduce themselves.  "I'm Neil!" "I'm Snowball!" "I'm Tinkerbell!" "I'm Buzz!" The shy little orange and white tabby said, "I'm Teeny."

 

Sammy, who was still on Ray's shoulder, said, "No one under the Bridge should go without a name, especially the orphans.  Naming them is very important, and it took us some time to come up with these."

 

"I think they're very fine names."  Fraser gently stroked Teeny under her chin and she softly purred.

 

Murphy spoke up now.  "Well, there are a lot of things we have to do now.  An adoption always rates a special celebration!  Tonight we'll have a banquet – Cookie always puts on a great spread – and a party!" He grinned. "That's one thing I like about this place – any excuse for a party!"

 

Fraser smiled. "Sounds like fun!"

 

"You betcha!  I'm going to get the preparations started!" And Murphy ran off.

 

Ray watched silently as Fraser did his best to meet the demands of his furry grandchildren for cuddles.  Sammy sat on his shoulder and studied the human's face for a few moments.  Finally the ferret asked, "How are you feeling, Ray?"

 

Ray shrugged and replied, "Oh, I dunno.  Kind of out of it, I guess."

 

Fraser sat up, stroking a purring Buzz, and said, "You're still not certain about this place, are you, Ray?"

 

"No, Benny, I'm not.  All this feels so real.  I'm still halfway thinking I'm dreaming, but it's a pretty good dream."

 

Sammy said, "You must miss your loved ones back there.  Would you like to see what they're doing?"

 

Both men looked at the little ferret.  Fraser asked, "Can we do that?"

 

"Sure!  There are several places under the bridge that can be used for observing!  There's one right nearby; let's go there."

 

 

Soon Sammy had led Fraser, Ray, Diefenbaker and the kittens to a clearing with a large Evergreen tree in the center.  Near the tree was a small pond, and they all gathered around this.

 

Fraser looked at the pond and said, "I assume this is our observing surface?  I know that in folklore, witches and sorcerers would use bowls of water for scrying.  Tolkein in The Lord of the Rings –"

 

"Fraser…"

 

"Oh, right, Ray.  I'm sorry; I do go on sometimes."

 

Sammy said, "That's all right.  And, yes, this is what we'll observe with."

 

A light breeze rippled the water.  Ray said, "You can't see much in it right now.  You got knobs around here to get better reception?"

 

Sammy replied, "Just watch."  Then the surface of the pond became completely still, though the breeze still blew.  It was if the water had turned to glass.  Then a picture formed in the still water.

 

"Well, I'll be… that's Lieutenant Welsh!"  Ray and Fraser sat down, and the animals gathered around them to watch and listen.

 

Welsh was sitting behind his desk, talking on the phone.  "…It's a wonder that they were both still alive, Mr. Prime Minister – okay, Turnbull.  They were rushed to the hospital, but Vecchio never came out of the coma.  Fraser did – briefly. Long enough for Kowalski to tell him that he and Vecchio had managed to defuse the bomb.  I don't know how much of that the Constable understood…"

 

Fraser said softly, "Every word."

 

"…Yes, Kowalski is taking it hard.  Blames himself, of course, for not being there with them to help.  But there was nothing else he could do; someone had to keep the perps covered…

 

"…He's gone out to O'Hare to meet Stella Vecchio and Fraser's sister, Maggie MacKenzie; they're both flying in at about the same time.  Ms. MacKenzie was lucky to get a flight into the States on such short notice… So someone in the Government made it easy for her, you say? Why does that not surprise me, Mr. Prime Minister?…

 

"… There's a memorial service planned for tomorrow.  I figure it's going to be packed.  They both had a lot of friends, and it seems like all of Chicago is grieving.  I've talked to the Duck boys; they've closed their club for a mourning period."

 

The Lieutenant sighed; he looked old.  "They were heroes, yes.  They managed to save Chicago and probably most of the area around Lake Michigan from becoming wasteland.  I expect our government will see about some medals, and they earned them.  But I wish they were still here.  They were both good men, and I'll miss them…"

 

The picture slowly faded away, and was soon replaced by a different one.  "Hey, that's my family – and that's our church!  Father Gianelli!  I haven't seen him in awhile – Who's that kneeling beside Francesca?"

 

"That's Inspector Thatcher, Ray."

 

"Yeah, it is!  This is a side of her I haven't seen before.

 

"They're praying for us, aren't they, Benny?" Fraser didn't answer.

 

The scene changed once again, this time to an aircraft terminal. Stan Kowalski was there, watching passengers disembarking from a plane. One, a young lady in the red serge tunic of the RCMP, ran up to him and they embraced.

 

"Who is that – is that your sister, Benny?"

 

"Yes it is, Ray.  That's Maggie MacKenzie.  A fine mountie she is, too."

 

And as they watched, someone else ran up to Stan and Maggie. Ray whispered, "Stella…"

 

Stella Vecchio was in tears as she folded her arms around Stan.  Stan and Maggie began crying as well.

 

"No…” Ray jumped up and backed away from the pond. "No! I can't take this!  Turn it off – I don't wanta see any more!"

 

Fraser turned to him.  "Ray…"

 

"This isn't a dream, is it?  That dynamite blew up in our faces and sent us here to the happy hunting grounds!  We're DEAD, Fraser!

 

"Those are our friends down there! That's my family!  That's your family!  That's my wife!  And there's NO WAY we can go back to them – ever!  EVER!

 

"I don't want to be dead, Fraser!  I don't want to be here!  I want to be back there, with the people I love!"

 

Ray shouted, "I WANT TO GO HOME!!"

 

Then it all went out of him.  He sank to his knees and started to sob.  "…I want to go home…"

 

Fraser went over to his friend and knelt down beside him; he pulled Ray close and let him cry on his shoulder.  Fraser said nothing as the tears rolled down his own cheeks.  Diefenbaker came over and leaned against the two men, and the kittens crawled into their laps. Sammy stood to one side and watched; he'd seen this so many times before, but it was never easy.  No one made a sound.

 

Soon Ray's sobs died away, but still he held on to his friend. Finally he let go and sat back to sniffle and wipe away his tears. "I'm – I'm sorry, Benny.  I just lost it there."

 

Fraser dried his own eyes.  "That's all right, Ray.  The shock is understandable, considering the situation."

 

"Yeah, things like this don't happen all the time.  You've kept pretty cool.  How do you handle it?"

 

"Well, the Inuit believe that death is a natural part of all life – which it is, of course – and they don't fear it as much as Modern Man does.  And I have walked these paths before, so this final journey comes as no surprise."

 

Fraser looked into the distance, across the green hills and meadows of the land under the Rainbow Bridge.  "But it's still hard for me, too."

 

"I'm sorry for yelling at you, Benny."

 

"And I'm sorry that you got involved with this.  It is my fault that you were killed."

 

Ray shook his head vigorously.  "Don't give me that, Fraser!  If I hadn't been there, I'd be eating myself up inside thinking I could have done something to save you.  I know exactly what Kowalski must be going through right now."

 

Fraser nodded.  "And I would feel the same way."  He smiled at Ray. "Thank you for helping me.  I don't know if I could have done it without you."

 

Ray swiped one more time at his eyes.  "This is gonna sound strange, Benny, but thank you for being here.  All this would be really overwhelming if I was all alone."

 

Fraser looked down at Teeny in his lap; she had such a trusting look in her little eyes.  "It's good that we can face this together."

 

Ray moved back to the pond, and watched as Kowalski and Maggie – and Stella – waited at the luggage carousel.  Both women leaned against Stan for comfort.  He's a good man, Ray thought; he'd make a good big brother.

 

Sammy said, "I have important news for you, Ray.  Stella's pregnant."

 

Ray's stared at the ferret.  "You're kidding me – you're not kidding me!  Stella's expecting?  My kid?  Oh, Stella…” He reached for the image in the pond, not quite daring to touch it; the magic may be too fragile.  He sat down and said, "I wish I could be there for her – for them."

 

Sammy said, "But you can't."

 

"No, I can't."  He looked at Sammy.  "Is that fair?"

 

Sammy's little dark eyes were so understanding, so wise. The ferret said, "No, it's not.  There are times when this universe can be so unfair.  There isn't a day goes by that I don't miss my Mommy; I love her and I want so much to go back and be with her again. And I can't.

 

"But I love her, and I do know that she loves me.  After all this time, I still feel that love that we have, and it gives me a strength like nothing else.  And I know that I'll be with her again someday.

 

"It's sad that you can't be there to watch your children grow, but they'll have a good Mother to teach them right from wrong, and an extended family that will care for them and help them as they reach for adulthood.  And people will tell them many things about their Father.  And do you know what they'll tell them?  That he was a hero. That he was good man, that he cared enough to lay down his life for others.  I think that one of the greatest things that can be said about someone is 'He went to help a friend'.

 

"Your children will not grow up knowing their Father, but they will know about him – and they will always be very proud of him."

 

Ray said nothing, just standing there as Kowalski carried Stella's and Maggie's luggage out to his GTO.  Finally he turned back to the ferret and asked, "Did you say 'children'?"

 

"Yes, twins.  A boy and a girl.  Stella doesn't know any of this, by the way."

 

"Whoa."  He watched for a few more moments as Stan put the suitcases in the trunk.  As Fraser walked up behind him, Ray said, "If I hadn't helped you, Benny…  If you'd failed with that bomb… I would've been there for my kids, but to help them face what?  What kind of world would they have grown up in if that bomb had gone off and Chicago hadn't been there anymore?"

 

"It would have been a much uglier one, Ray."

 

Ray slowly nodded.  Yeah…  I can't help them in the future, but I think I must have helped them a lot already."

 

"That's a very good way of looking at it, Ray."

 

Ray looked down at the ferret and asked, "Where Benny and I are going – you think they have places like this, to look at what's going on back home?"

 

Sammy replied, "Staying in touch with our loved ones is so important to us here under the Bridge; it's stands to reason that it means just as much on the other side.  I'm certain that you'll be able to see what's going on with your loved ones."

 

The ferret smiled an impish little smile.  "If I were you, I'd make sure I was watching when Stella visits her doctor the next time.  The look on her face when she finds out about you-know-what ought to be priceless!"

 

For the first time since he arrived under the Rainbow Bridge, Ray Vecchio roared with laughter.  And he kept on laughing until he had to dry his eyes again.

 

Soon the laughter died down, but the joy he felt was still there.  He looked around, and he realized just how wonderful a place this was. So quiet, so peaceful; you wouldn't think a Chicago boy could respond to that, but he did.  It was great, and it had to be even better on the other side of the Bridge.

 

He looked at the Evergreen.  It was a nice-looking tree, he thought. Just the sort you'd want for a Christmas tree.  Then he noticed something at the top.

 

"Uh, Sammy?  Is something wrong with my eyes, or is there a blue light at the top of that tree?"

 

"Oh, yes.  You can't see it so well in daylight, but we have something special at the top of the tree.  It's a star."

 

"Whoa – really?  A real star?"

 

"Yep.  Well, at least a real enough star for the Rainbow Bridge. Stars are a bit different here than they are back in the old world. This is a real special tree, you see.  We put it in this spot one winter not long ago as a Christmas tree for some young ones under the Bridge. Murphy, being the kind of guy he is, thought the tree should have a special topper, so some of us went and got one of the stars above to do the job.  The star has remained at the top of the tree since."

 

One of the kittens said, "Yeah, Sammy told us about that – he tells the best stories!  Tell them all about it, Unca Sammy!  You guys will like it!"

 

Sammy thought for a moment and said, "Well… It's still some time before the big party, and stories are a good way to pass the time.  So why not?  Sit down, and I'll tell you about the Christmas adventure. And who knows?  Maybe I'll have a time for another story or two!"

 

So Sammy told Fraser and Ray about the ferret Lucy Skydiamond and how she cared for her own eight kits and five orphaned kittens; and how a group of Bridge folks decided to decorate a Christmas tree as a special gift for these little ones, with the ferret known as the Lone Ranger leading a group to bring back a star from the sky to put on top.

 

It was a wonderful story.  When Sammy was done, everyone applauded. Fraser said, "Well done, Sammy. You have a natural gift as a storyteller."

 

"Thank you very much, Benny.  I enjoy telling the stories and the little ones love hearing them."

 

Fraser looked down at Teeny; she'd sat enthralled in his lap the whole time. "So I can imagine.  I do have one question.  You mentioned a ferret called the Lone Ranger. That's an interesting name; is there a story behind it?"

 

So Sammy told how a ferret named John Reid found a purpose under the Rainbow Bridge by riding a horse and delivering some orphans to meet a human to be adopted, and how the ferret became known as the Lone Ranger.  Sammy followed this with the story of a special human known as Tinker, who made wheelchairs for crippled furfolks, and how he was warmly welcomed when he came to the Bridge himself.

 

When Sammy was done with Tinker's story, Ray sat back and relaxed.  He was surprised to discover that he'd enjoyed hearing the stories just as much as everyone else.  Sammy had insisted that they were all true, but Ray wasn't sure.  The one about the ferret riding around on a horse seemed pretty far-fetched. Then he looked off in the distance and saw three horses approaching; the leader was white and there was something on its back, but he couldn't make out what it was.  "Hey, guys, we got company!"

 

As the horses came nearer and Ray could make out what the white one was carrying, he just shook his head and decided anything was possible here. Because there was a ferret riding the horse on a special saddle. The ferret was a handsome Sable, with a mask that would have suited the original Lone Ranger to a tee.  As the horses came up to them, the rider called out, "Hello, Sammy!  How are our guests doing?"  Ray hadn't had much experience with talking animals, but he thought this one's voice had to be awfully deep for a ferret.

 

Sammy smiled and replied, "Oh, we're doing just fine, John.  It's nice to see you!  What can we do for you?"

 

"Murphy sent me here to fetch you folks – the banquet is almost ready. Silver here found some friends to help carry you human types.  Have you both ridden before?"

 

Fraser was enthusiastic.  "Oh, that would be fine!  I enjoy horseback riding!  Ray, how about you?"

 

Ray looked at the horses, which seemed to tower in the sky, and replied, "Uh…"

 

An Arabian chuckled and sauntered forward.  He said, "It's okay; I realize that riding in the old world isn't as widespread as it once was.  I'll tell you what – I've always been gentle with riders.  If you ride on my back, it ought to be easy on you.  Care to give it a try?"

 

Ray thought about it for a moment, then shrugged and replied, "Okay, I'm game.  If I'm ever gonna ride a horse, it may as well be now."  So the kittens were placed in special pouches on Silver's saddle, and Fraser helped Ray get on the back of the Arabian.  Once Fraser climbed on the third horse's back – he made it look so easy – they were on their way, with Diefenbaker keeping pace alongside.

 

The ride was a short one.  The kittens thought riding in the saddle pouches was fun.  And Ray got another surprise.  He'd expected aching joints and sore thighs, not to mention some sort of seasickness.  But there was none of that.  Just a pleasant sensation of wind on his face and the countryside flying by.  He could get used to this.

 

 

"Well, Ray, how is the food?"

 

"It's delicious!  This the best meal cooked by a purebred Persian cat that I've ever eaten!"

 

"Have you eaten very many meals prepared by Persians, Ray?"

 

"Well… no.  But I don't think I've met a cat of any breed that would come close to this!"  He took another mouthful and chewed for a few moments thoughtfully.  "Tell you the truth, I haven't met very many two-legged chefs that could do much better."

 

The banquet was huge.  There were several tables scattered around the clearing, set at various heights to accommodate diners of different sizes.  Ray and Fraser sat at the head table, which was set up for humans and was thus taller than most of the rest.  Between them Diefenbaker sat on a stool, and on Fraser's other side was a platform, just tall enough for five kittens to reach the table top.

 

There was a similar platform next to Ray, and Murphy and Sammy were seated there.  Ray, who was getting used to the idea of talking to animals, said, "Say, Murph, you folks seem to go all-out for things like this. I'm impressed!"

 

The ferret nodded.  "That's true, and with good reason.  Adoptions are special under the Rainbow Bridge.  The orphans don't have a Mommy or Daddy to take them over the Bridge.  If some human didn't come along and adopt them, they'd have to stay here. This place is wonderful, but they'd always know that just over the Bridge is a place that's even better."

 

"Doesn't seem like a fair setup.  There ought to be a way that they could cross the Bridge on their own."

 

"Good point.  And for all I know there may be a way.  But there's something else to consider.  They would still be alone.  I've said this before to so many who come here, but I'll keep on saying it: the love between a human and a furkid is so very special.  You two-legged types love one another, sure, but it's awfully complicated, isn't it? It's not that way with us animals.  We love and trust you, literally with our lives.  And when we love you, we're not afraid to show it. Adoption here isn't just about giving these orphans a way to cross the Bridge; it's a way for them to know what love is."

 

Ray was watching Fraser.  Teeny was sitting right next to him, and he was bending over to hear something she was telling him in her shy little voice; he was obviously giving her his undivided attention. From what he'd told Ray, she'd been the most frightened of him when they'd met before.  And now, from what Ray had seen, she was devoted to him.

 

Ray couldn't think of anything to say.  …until he looked around. "Oh, no."

 

Sammy said, "What's wrong, Ray?"

 

"The sins of the flesh, that's what's wrong!”  A young ferret was passing between the tables, pushing one of the biggest dessert carts Ray had ever seen.  It was piled high with pies, cakes, pudding cups, sweetrolls, fruits, sherbets, ice cream and just about every other dessert one could think of.

 

Murphy said, "What, we haven't got something you like?"

 

"Oh, it's not that.  I've been watching my waistline, and I've got a digestion problem.  If I eat too much rich food I'll regret it later."

 

"Ray – this is the Afterlife!  How in the World is any of that going to matter now?"

 

Ray looked at the dessert cart, looked down at Murphy and looked back at the dessert cart.  Now that he thought about it, his stomach wasn't bothering him at all, and the acids should have been acting up a long time ago.  And why would you have a bellyache after you'd died? "You mean I can pig out as much as I want and it won't bother me?"

 

Someone at another table deliberately cleared their throat, and Ray looked to see some pot-bellied pigs glaring at him.  Murphy leaned over and whispered, "Don't mind them.  The pet pigs here are very fastidious, not to mention sensitive about their image.  Anyway, yes, you can eat all you want and it won't bother you.  So, dive in!"

 

Ray studied the cart as it came trundling up the aisle.  The problem would be making a choice.  Maybe more than one…  "Well, Dief, what looks good to you?"

 

The wolf didn't answer. "Dief?"  Diefenbaker was staring at the cart with what could aptly be called a predatory eye.

 

Ray shook his head.  The junk food habit.  "You know, Dief, it would be nice if you left some for the rest of us."

 

Diefenbaker looked at Ray with that innocent face that seems to be an inherited trait of all animals and most children, and said, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

 

"Oh.  Well, don't mind me, I'm just thinking out loud."  Ray wondered if he'd have to fight for a piece of the French Silk.

 

 

As he and Fraser watched the banquet tables being cleared away, Ray asked, "So, what's next for the evening's festivities?"

 

Murphy replied, "Dancing.  Folks around here love to move their feet, and we've got twice as many feet to move as you humans, so we dance a lot.  They're over there setting up the band now."

 

Fraser said, "Oh, you have musicians here? Interesting."

 

"Yep.  A friend of mine named Hista had the idea, and it's been his baby all the way.  His ultimate goal is the Rainbow Bridge Pops Orchestra, and so far he has enough members to make up a good-sized band.  Hista directs the whole thing and serves as the conductor."

 

"Hista…  That's a name Edgar Rice Burroughs used in his Tarzan novels.  Am I correct in assuming Hista is a snake?"

 

"Yes, he is.  A boa constrictor, as a matter of fact."

 

"Wait a minute.  You're saying a snake conducts an orchestra??"

 

"Yes, I am, Ray.  He holds the baton in his mouth."

 

"A snake…” Ray watched the band as they set up.  Several animals were talking to a boa, who was looking very excited and slightly harassed.  Ray shrugged his shoulders.  "A snake.  Why not?"

 

Soon everything was ready and the dance began.  Hista's band was excellent, and soon the dance floor was filled with animals happily spinning around to the music.  Ray and Fraser sat to the side and enjoyed the show.

 

"What do you think, Ray?"

 

"This is great, Benny!  These guys beat Bruno the Dancing Bear every which way!  Remember him?"

 

"The animal cruelty case at the circus?  Oh, yes.  I recall Bruno was very grateful."

 

"…You know, Fraser, I am never going to make fun of you talking to animals again!  Anyway, the music's great, too!  I'm tempted to do a little dancing myself."

 

Fraser stood on his feet and held his hand out to Ray.  "Shall we?"

 

Ray stared at him for a few moments, looked philosophical for exactly one second, and smiled. "Of course." He followed Fraser out on the dance floor just as the current number came to an end.

 

Hista handed his baton to a young kitten who was there just for that purpose, and said, "Well, I see our guests have decided to join in the fun!  Welcome to the dance, fellows!  It just so happens that we've got a couple of tunes that we want to play in your honor.  The first is a nice little number from the Canadian timber country entitled "The Logdriver's Waltz".

 

"A waltz?  Did he say this was gonna be a waltz?"

 

"Yes, he did, Ray."

 

"Oh, dear…  Benny, you better lead on this one."

 

The other dancers cleared a space for the two humans, and the music started.  Fraser was patient and led Ray through the steps.  Soon he picked up the rhythm, and they were waltzing around nicely.

 

Hista's band featured some singers for this song, four tabby cats, who weren't anywhere near as bad as one might think.  None of the yowling-on-the-back-fence noises, but some nice soprano balanced by some alto and tenor.

 

"When he goes burling down, down the white water,

That's where a logdriver learns to step lively.

Burling down, down the white water.

A logdriver's waltz pleases girls completely."

 

"Ya know, Benny, I think I like that song.  Good choice for Canada."

 

"It is a good song, Ray.  I'm primarily thankful that they didn't choose another one."

 

"Any other song in particular?"

 

"Canadian Sunset."

 

"Ah.  I had an aunt who was an Andy Williams fan.  That is something to be thankful for."

 

"I wonder what song they'll choose for Chicago?"

 

"No idea.  My luck I'm born and raised in a city with no musical heritage to speak of.  Now San Francisco, it would've been different."

 

"Well, it could be worse, Ray.  You could have been born in Los Angeles."

 

"You know, Benny, sometimes I don't think you're as naive as you appear – Anyway, as long as they don't use that song by Crosby, Stills and Nash about the Democratic Convention, it should be okay."

 

As the music stopped, Fraser said, "Well, that would only leave –" The first notes of "My Kind of Town" started up. "– that."

 

"All right – I can live with this!  Uh, Benny – could you lead again?  This is more dancing than I've done in a long time."

 

"Certainly, Ray."  Soon they were wowing the crowd with an upbeat dance, as the lead singer was crooning

 

"My kind of town – Chicago is

My kind of town…"

 

 

After the dance, after the band and everyone else had gone to bed, Ray, Fraser, Diefenbaker and the kittens rolled out some blankets and camped out in the open under the Christmas Evergreen.  The star at the top cast a warm, blue light over the meadow.  Tomorrow they planned to cross the Bridge.

 

Ray lay back and looked up at the night sky.  He wasn't sleepy; he kept thinking of things that happened and things that never happened. Finally he said, "Benny?"

 

"Yes, Ray."

 

"I keep asking myself if I'll see my Dad again."

 

"Well, I've never met him, so I can't say for certain.  You've certainly painted an unfavorable picture of him.  Do you think he won't be there to meet you?  Do you think he's gone someplace else?"

 

"'Someplace else'.  Good way to put it.  When he was alive and kicking – especially kicking – I'd tell him to go 'someplace else' all the time.  And after he died, I was still able to tell him to go there.  And back then, I would have been glad if it happened. But now – I don't know – ever since we came here, I'm not sure anymore how I feel about him."

 

Fraser could see two of his new grandchildren snuggled together right in front of him. He replied, "This place is about second chances, Ray. I believe it must be affecting how you think.  Maybe you're giving your Father a second chance now.  Possibly it's too late for him, but still, the feeling is there."

 

"Second chances.  Maybe.  I don't know.  Maybe I'm getting a second chance, too."

 

"How do you mean, Ray?"

 

"I keep wondering if I should be here.  You know how I was, Benny.  I wasn't a very nice cop.  If that Bridge up there leads to where they say it does, do I belong there?"

 

Fraser thought for a moment before answering, "I won't debate the details of how you performed your duties as a police officer.  But tell me this – why did you become a policeman?"

 

"Well… Dad hated cops.  I guess part of the reason I became one was to get back at him.  And I hated the creeps he hung out with.  I think I wanted to be able to put them away."

 

"I see.  Well, I became a policeman myself because of my Father – he was one.  I wanted to be like him.  But there was more to it.  My family taught me the difference between Right and Wrong.  Not only that, they taught me that it was the duty of people who followed the Right path to rectify the Wrong that others did.  When you get right down to it, that's the job of a policeman.  I don't know how you feel about it, but I think we both became policemen for the same reasons – to right Wrongs.  And I think that's why you going to cross the Bridge and not go 'someplace else'."

 

Ray said, softly, "Wow.  I never thought of it that way before.  Wow.

 

"– Okay, I can't argue with that, I guess.  But why am I here?  This place is to reunite humans and pets.  I never had a pet.  Maybe I do qualify to go to the Good Place, but why come through here first?"

 

"That's a good question, Ray.  I can't answer it.  All we can do is be practical about it.  You are here, so there must be a reason.  We don't know what it is.  All we can do is accept the situation."

 

"Yeah – Yeah, I guess you're right, as usual.  Well, good night."

 

"Good night, Ray."

 

Later, just as Ray was about to drift off to sleep, he felt something trying to crawl under his blanket.  He sat up abruptly and saw that it was a ferret.  The ferret scuttled back and said, "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!"

 

"Oh, that's okay.  I startle easily.  Is there something I can do for you?"

 

"Well, I just wanted to spend some time with some humans.  I get lonely sometimes at night."

 

"Ah.  Are you an orphan, by any chance?"

 

The ferret sighed.  "Yes – yes, I am.  I had a Mommy back in the Old World, for a while.  But… somewhere along the way, she didn't love me any more."

 

"That doesn't sound good."  He lay back down.  "C'mon over here. I don't mind the company."

 

The ferret came over and lay by Ray's side.  "My name is Hannah."

 

"Nice to meet you, Hannah. My name is Ray.  The guy over sleeping over there is Benny, the wolf is Diefenbaker, and I can't keep the kittens' names straight, yet."

 

"Hi."  The ferret seemed to want to talk.  "My Mommy loved me so much at first, and I loved her, too.  She got me the best ferret food, and she played with me a lot.  But I guess she got bored after awhile. She bought cheaper food, she didn't play with me as much.  I hardly ever got out of my cage.  She had new friends, guys who called me a rat."  She sounded so sad.  "I'm not a rat.

 

"Finally she said she couldn't take care of me properly anymore, and she said I'd be better off wild and free.  So she let me out in the woods. I'm not a wild animal; I didn't know how to live there.  I found water, but I got hungry.  Then there was this big cat I met… and I came here."

 

"Aw, man…” Ray gently stroked Hannah's fur.  She had a soft, rich coat.

 

The ferret went on.  "Once they told me what this place is all about, I was so happy!  I still loved my Mommy, you see.  I just figured that she forgot some things, and once we met again, she'd see how much we loved each other and things would be like they once were.  I kept a close eye on her from the Seeing places here – I was happy for her when things were good, and sad for her when they weren't – and all the time I waited to see her again when she came here.

 

"But she didn't come here.  One day I looked in the Seeing pool, and she wasn't there.  I couldn't find her anywhere.  Then I saw her funeral.  So she'd left the old world.  I don't know where she went; maybe to Heaven, or maybe to-"

 

"Someplace else?"

 

"Yeah. I don't know.  But wherever she went, she didn't come through here first.  She didn't come for me."  Hannah sniffled.  "She didn't come here for me."  The little ferret put her head down and cried.

 

Ray put his arm around her and held her close.

 

Soon she wiped her eyes with her paws and continued.  "I guess that made me an orphan, but I didn't want to think much about being adopted; I didn't want to have anything to do with humans.  Whenever someone came here and was reunited with their furfolk, I went off somewhere so I wouldn't meet them.  I like it here.  I have some nice friends, and this is a peaceful place.  Maybe it's better over the Bridge, but I was happy where I was.

 

"But I don't feel as happy on my own anymore.  I'm lonely.  I loved being with humans, and I know now how much I missed it.  It still hurts about my Mommy, but I don't want to be alone anymore.  I wanted to be with some humans again."

 

"How's it feel?"

 

Hannah wriggled closer to Ray.  "It feels great.  I think I want to see about getting adopted sometime soon.  For right now, I just want to spend some time close to a human. Do you mind?  It'll just be for tonight."

 

"No, you're welcome here.  We better get some sleep, though."

 

Fraser, having heard all of this, smiled.  He could guess where this was going.

 

 

The adoption meant that they were delayed crossing the Bridge by another day.  Only one person complained, and it was pretty much expected of him.

 

The Adoption Committee was all Questions and Ceremony and Due Process, but it was all Formality for the sake of Formality.  Everyone knew the adoption would be approved.  And Ray became Hannah's Daddy.

 

As he told Fraser later, "I told you I never had pets as a kid.  Not a puppy or even a goldfish.  That was Dad's doing.  He said any boy that kept a pet was a sissy, so he was doing me a favor."

 

"But Stan has his three ferrets, and I doubt if anyone would call him a sissy."

 

"I sure wouldn't.  Well, it wasn't the only thing my old man was wrong about."

 

Once he became a Daddy, he discovered that the hood in his coat was actually functional; Hannah loved to ride in it.  It was better than riding on his shoulder; she couldn't fall off as easily.  And she could reach up and give her new Daddy ferret kisses.  They tickled, but Ray realized that he liked them.

 

Ray knew now why he'd come here – to give this little creature a human to love.  And he didn't feel left out anymore.

 

That afternoon Ray and Fraser relaxed in Cookie's kitchen with some very good coffee, and that was where they heard the one complaint.  It was from Cookie, who had another celebration banquet to put together. He was a Persian cat with a perpetual scowl on his face, and it gave him the reputation of a grump.  (What with the chef's hat he wore, it also made him look like a household pet suffering through a game of dressup.)  Murphy had said earlier that he was really a nice guy, and Ray believed it, but sometimes you just had to live up to the rep.

 

Now Cookie and his assistant, a poodle named Lucky Pierre, were moving around preparing another feast; Fraser, being the person he was, had volunteered to help and was rushing around as well.  Finally, Ray, out of guilt, got up to help him.  And all the time, Cookie kept a running commentary.

 

"I swear, my work is never done!  No spare time to myself!  I don't mind the occasional big feed, but two nights in a row?  What more do they want?  At this rate, I'll be seriously low on supplies!"

 

Fraser asked, "Just how do you get your supplies, Cookie?"

 

"Just never you mind, and chop that zucchini up a little bit finer, would you?  – All these celebrations, and they always expect me to outdo myself.  That's one thing that gets to me about this place – any excuse for a party!"

 

Pierre said, "Ray, Benny?  Is there something wrong?  You both sounded like you were choking."

 

"Oh, no, no!  All this cooking going on, the air's a bit…"

 

"…close!"

 

"Yes, that's right, Ray!  The air's a bit close in here!  We're not used to it!  We'll be alright!"

 

 

The seating arrangement was much the same as for the previous night, except now Ray's furkid sat beside him, where she could look up at him once in awhile and smile.  Since it was Ray's adoption, the banquet food was Italian.  And, like the night before, it was delicious. Everyone stuffed themselves.  But there was still room for the gelato on the dessert tray.

 

Later: "Hello, Ray."

 

Ray looked around, but couldn't see anyone.  Sammy had mentioned voices coming out of nowhere.  "I'm down here, Ray."

 

Ray looked down, and there was a hamster at his feet.  "Oh… hello. Do I know you?"

 

"Well, you haven't seen me in awhile.  Not since you were a child, in fact."

 

Ray's jaw dropped open, and he abruptly sat down on the ground.  He whispered, "Howie?"

 

"Yes, Ray.  Francesca's Hamster."

 

"Aw, no.  Look – I'm sorry – I didn't mean for – I didn't…

 

"Aw, man – I didn't know hamsters can't swim!  It was an accident! I'm – I'm sorry!"  He shook his head.  "I'm sorry…"

 

The hamster came forward and placed his front paws on Ray's leg.  "I know.  You were young and didn't know any better.  Accidents like that happen."

 

Ray felt tears gather in his eyes.  "I'm so sorry.  Please forgive me."

 

"I forgave you a long time ago.  That's not why I'm here now.  I want to let you know that you are forgiven.  You were wondering why you came here to the Rainbow Bridge?  Well, part of it was to let you adopt Hannah and to give her a human to love.  But this is the other reason you're here – to free yourself from your guilt.  You're a good man, Ray Vecchio, and I like having you for an uncle."

 

"After all this time, you're still Frannie's furkid, aren't you?"

 

"Yes.  And I love my Mommy, and I'll be here to meet her someday." The hamster smiled. "You weren't quite ready to cross the Bridge before, though you didn't know it. But now you are. Now you're ready to go."

 

Ray brushed at his eyes and smiled.  "Thanks, Howie."

 

 

Murphy said, "Last night the party was big on dancing.  Well, tonight we're gonna do more singing.  You guys okay with that?"

 

And they were.  Ray knew how good a singer Fraser was – he'd sung at Ray's wedding, after all – and someone managed to find a human-size guitar.  Fraser entertained them with some fine songs, such as "Ride Forever", which the horses loved, and a song about a boat named the "Robert MacKenzie".  He sang children's songs for the young ones, and sad songs about love lost and happy ones about love regained.  Ray even managed to sing an Italian lullabye or two – he didn't think he did too well, but everyone said they enjoyed it.

 

Later things got a little silly.  Ray put on Fraser's tunic and Stetson, and he and Murphy – who was dressed for the role already – served as chorus for Fraser's enthusiastic rendition of "The Lumberjack Song".  This went over very well, and led to several humorous songs.

 

And so on into the night.  Fur folks left, and little ones drifted off to sleep, but Ray and Fraser and others stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, singing and talking and enjoying one another's company.

 

Finally, everyone more or less agreed that it was time to quit.  As they prepared to bed down, Ray let out a huge yawn and said, "Say, Murph, I don't think there's enough night left to get any decent sleep.  You think you might get a few hour's delay on the sunrise?"

 

Murphy smiled.  "I'll see what I can do, Ray."  And, somehow, he got it done.

 

 

No matter how much it was put off, daylight finally came, and, all too soon, everyone was gathered at the foot of the Rainbow Bridge.

 

There seemed to be a lot of folks to say goodbye to.  Fraser knelt down to shake Murphy's and Sammy's paws.  He finally just picked them both up and have them hugs.  "I'm going to miss you two.  I'm very proud to have met you."

 

Sammy said, "Well, I don't believe that this is goodbye forever.  I'm sure you'll see us again."

 

Everyone wanted to make a fuss over the kittens and Hannah, orphans no longer.  For them, this crossing was special.

 

Ray had his share of goodbyes to make, but none was more important than Howie's.  Ray just held the little hamster close, and neither one said a word.

 

And more goodbyes.  More hugs, kisses, pawshakes.  And so many tears of joy.

 

Then there was the matter of who carried who.  Hannah stayed in the hood of her Daddy's coat.  Fraser carried three kittens and Ray carried two.  This was not an ideal arrangement; Fraser kept juggling the three kittens to try and make them more comfortable.

 

Ray wished he could do something to help, but he couldn't carry a third little one without having the same problem himself.  Then he thought of something, and looked down at the deep pockets on his coat.

 

"Hey, Benny, want some help?"  Fraser looked over at Ray.  There he stood, his empty arms spread out and a grin on his face.  Peeping out from his coat pockets were two fuzzy little faces.

 

The three kittens took one look and immediately it was, "I wanna ride in Unca Ray's pockets, too!"

 

Fraser said, "Now, now, don't carry on.  You'll all get a turn, don't worry.  There will be plenty of time."  He passed a kitten over to Ray.

 

Ray held the kitten close and said, "Yeah.  That's right.  There'll be plenty of time.  All the time in the world."

 

And they were ready to go.

 

The Rainbow Bridge looked steep, and there were no steps.  But they found that it wasn't hard to climb at all.  They couldn't see any footholds, but they must have been there, because it felt solid wherever they put their feet.

 

Partway up, Ray, Fraser and Diefenbaker stopped and turned around. Everyone waved and cheered, and they waved back.

 

Fraser looked down, and there in front of all the other furfolk was Murphy, resplendent in his red tunic and Stetson.  Murphy was giving them one of the best salutes Fraser had ever seen.  The tears quietly rolled down Murphy's cheeks.

 

Fraser returned the salute; he could do no less.  And he and Ray turned and continued to climb.

 

Soon…  "Hey, Benny – I think I see someone ahead of us!  Somebody's there to meet us!"

 

"What do you see, Ray?"

 

"A man and woman.  Hey, he's dressed like a Mountie, just like you! And, boy, do they have a lot of sled dogs with them!  Think you know these people?"

 

"Yes, Ray… I think I do."

 

And Benton Fraser and Ray Vecchio, with a wolf named Diefenbaker, five kittens and one ferret, crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

 

THE END

 

DIVERSE DISCLAIMERS, INSTRUCTIONS AND OTHER FINE PRINT

 

As always, no furry animals were harmed in the writing of this story.

 

This story is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to infringe on copyrights held by Alliance Communications Corp., CBS and CTV or any other copyright holders of "due South".

 

Murphy, Sammy, Cookie, Lucky Pierre, Hista and my version of the Lone Ranger Copyright © 2000 Paul E. Jamison.

 

The Rainbow Bridge is not copyright, which is as it should be.

 

I presume that "Logdriver's Waltz" and "My Kind of Town" are copyrighted by somebody.

 

You know, you still ought to go out and hug that ferret.