by Steve Prestash
Blueberry Moon Wine said I waking suddenly with my eyes in the flashlights glare. And then I notice that Im in my 1965 Ford pickup truck with strobing blue and red lights behind me. And that my truck is off the road in a snow bank, and that its snowing heavily.
Whats that, a weasel you gots in there with you? asks the voice behind the light. Uh, I respond as the light goes from my eyes to blare upon my little Splash: my short haired mainly white 3 colored calico cat. Splash is cowering on top my jacket on the trucks passenger side.
After determining that Im reasonably OK, a heavy paw takes my driving documents, and goes back to check the computer, leaving Splash and I in the lurid blue and red strobe.
Splash leaps into my lap and tries to force his way into my shirt. I cry out as he works frantically with his claws. Finally, he calms down a bit, and I pet him and kiss him on the head. In the lurid blue and red strobing light, I open up two buttons on my shirt and he quickly crawls in.
My review of the situation is that Splash and I are returning to Leadville from a short visit to Friscos Wal-mart. The only substances that Ive ingested were two one dollar McDonalds hot and spicy chicken sandwiches. After passing Copper Mountain the snowfall starts to whiteout. Driving past the Climax Mines main entrance it clears a bit and I drive slowly down the hill. As I enter the highways sharp Storke curve the whiteout comes on full force and visibility is reduced to zero. While slowly braking I continue onward at the same time judge how to continue turning into the curve. I can see absolutely nothing except white billowing snow as I make the turn. At some point a window opens in the whiteout and I panic as I see a highway marker post coming up on my left hand side: I then overcompensate by turning sharper than I should at the same time hit the brakes hard.
Then, nothing.
I recall the phrase Blueberry Moon Wine, and suddenly I remember: Im standing in a darkening summer field looking at two barns that are on wheels. How odd. Was it the snow bank stopping my pickup and the resultant bump on the head that transported me there? And why a darkening summer field with barns on wheels?
Then I remember it all.
As I look with confusion upon the barns on wheels, instead of what is supposed to be there: a winter highway whiteout, I hear Steve, Steve are you there? Tears fill my eyes as I recognize Donnas voice. And Donna, along with our furry daughter Purdy, both are no longer. Donna died of a heart attack the day after Christmas, and Purdy, our cat, our baby, died less than a week later, never making it to my house.
I turn and there is Donna, dressed in white and holding Purdy. Hush she says to me, lets be happy to see each other. You can help me move the barns.
But Donna. I say. Donna smiles and says lets be happy for this short time, Purdy and I are taking these barns to the Rainbow Bridge, and you can help us.
Oh Donna, I cry, I miss you. I miss Purdy.
Donna walks to me, and we hug with Purdy gently cradled in between us. Now, Donna says, our time is short, so will you please help us? I ask her, What do you want me to do?
Donna explains, When I died, I knew that my kitties Missy, Johnny, and Sadie would be waiting for me at the Rainbow Bridge. And they joyfully greeted me when I got there. But I couldnt cross the Bridge with them then, I felt that something was left undone. I prayed to the Lord for guidance, and he answered me, telling me that Purdy would come, and that she had something to tell me. A couple of days later, Purdy appeared at the Rainbow Bridge. When I picked her up, she spoke to my mind: Mommy, Daddy is very sad that we are gone. We need to give him some comfort by giving him something useful to do. There are these two barns in Colorado, that are being moved, and since they are on wheels, Dad can move a spiritual shade of those barns over to the Rainbow Bridge, so that the animals will have one to use for afternoon naps and to sleep in at night, and the other to play in.
So, Donna tells me, take your astral self and stubbornness, hook these two trailers together, grab the lead hitch and pull these barns to the Rainbow Bridge. So I, in bliss at being with my Donna and Purdy, pulled a reflection of the barns on wheels to the Rainbow Bridge. And the animals of all sizes and kinds now have two new places to wait for their masters and mistresses in. It is indescribably wonderful to be with Donna, Missy, Johnny, Sadie, and Purdy. While Donna and I are wandering the magically limitless size of the animals sleeping barn, she sees a dusty corked bottle stored up in a crotch of a post and its upward reaching brace. She reaches up and brings it down, and we wander back outside.
She and the kitties and I go to the Rainbow Bridge. She puts her hand on my arm and stops me from walking onto the Bridge. Donna tells me, Its not your time to go. Let us share this wine, and me and my kitties will pass over, and you go back to the work that you must do. She uncorks the bottle and takes a sip, kisses me on the cheek, gives me the bottle, smiles to me, and then starts out onto the Rainbow Bridge with all the kitties gaily running ahead. Then she and they as a mist vanish. A sip of the wine refreshes me. The dusty label reads Blueberry Moon Wine.
.....................................................................................In memory of Donna Lynn Hewling 1965 to 2004 and our siamese kitty Purdy 2002 to 2005.

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