[It is early in the morning on October 27. The Final Calling of Names has just echoed across the courtyard of the Palace of Minos at Knossos on the island of Crete. Many kitties are gathered, remembering the loved ones who have gone on ahead. If one listens really, really carefully you can barely hear the meows of those departed kitties watching over the proceedings. The Rainbow Bridge kitties (and other creatures) like a good winking as much as the kitties of this world. The edge of the rising sun can barely be seen above the tops of the walls surrounding the courtyard. Directly in front of the assembled kitties is a low stage with a curved back wall. A set of stairs climbs from courtyard level to stage level at the front left corner, and another at the front right corner. Along the back of the stage is a row of marble columns, arranged in an arc. In front of each column is a short table, with an incense burner upon each table. The light of the rising sun has not yet touched the stage. Cleo whispers in the ears of O.T. and Scooter Dog, and the young kitty and older dog nod in assent. At a signal from Cleo they approach the stage, OT on the left and Scooter on the right. Each of them reach into an alcove and remove a burning candle, then carefully and slowly carries it up the nearest set of stairs. They walk along the row of tables, lighting the incense burners. The two friends meet at the middle table, blow out their candles, and leave the stage together. They then return to the cushions where they had been sitting before. As they take their seats the sounds of wooden flutes begins to echo softly across the courtyard, the direction of their origin unclear. The incense burners begin to emit large clouds of fragrant smoke. It becomes obvious that there is a gentle breeze blowing across the back of the stage, as the smoke begins to writhe and move. In moments the columns of smoke take on the appearance of phantom cats. The phantom cats, made of nothing save smoke, dance a sinuous, exotic dance. The creatures of smoke drift around and through each other, swaying in time with the music of the flutes. The smoke-cats exhibit tremendous acrobatic skills, leaping over each other and sliding each other. As the dance progresses, it becomes ever more energetic. The dancers also move closer and closer to the front edge of the stage. Finally, when the smoke-cats are at the very edge of the stage, their dancing has reached a frenetic level. The rays of the sun finally clear the last remaining hurdle and cast their light upon the floor of the stage. As the sunlight strikes the smoke-cats, a sound as of crashing distant cymbls echoes off the walls of the courtyard, the music of the wooden flutes stops, and the smoke-cats disappear into random clouds of smoke. The smoke sinks to the floor of the stage, then slides off the stage onto the grounds of the courtyard, surrounding the assembled kitties and guests with their fragrance. When the smoke finally clears, the only presence on the stage is a dignified silver-furred girlcat wearing a black roga with silver clasps, a silver diadem upon her head. Cleo walks to the front of the stage and nods her head, and from the far edge of the courtyard come the sounds of a very old organ playing Wagner's Lohengrin. She nods her head again upon her signal a procession of boy-kitties climbs the right-hand set of steps. Chester, followed by Sundance, Sammy, and Roscoe, all looking magnificent in their orangeness, walk in step to center stage. As the boy kitties adjust their positions the organist begins playing Mendelssohn's Wedding March. As the first notes of the Wedding March sound, a beautiful girlcat appears at the back of the courtyard. Stormee leads off the procession, followed by Anais and Pit2nya. Finally, behind her bridesmaids, Lucy begins her final walk as a single girlcat. The girlcat procession moves down the curtyard's central aisle, all eyes upon them. From up on the stage, all of the boycats smile appreciatively at the vision of loveliness moving towards them. Lucy's best friends meow to her and reach out to touch her paws as she walks past. Many kitty eyes are tearful at the lovely sight. The girlcat procession approach the left-hand set of steps, the bridesmaid kitties pause at the bottom of the steps, allow Lucy to ascent the stairs first. Then they follow her to their places.] Kitties, doggies, and other distinguished guests, welcome to this joyous gathering. We have just celebrated the memories of our Community members recently left for the Rainbow Bridge. It is now time for us to join the lovely Lucy and handsome Chester in the celebration of their bewinking Lucy and Chester have enjoyed each other's company, and they have decided that they to formalize their relationship, telling the entire world that they belong to each other. The institution of bewinking, like the human ceremony of marriage, establishes the special relationship shared by two kitties in which they set themselves asides for their partner. Unlike the human institution, though, we are not able in most cases to actually live all the time in the same house. During our home times we spend time with our own humans, but spend as much time as we can with our bewinking mate whenever we are able to. [Cleo glances at TV, giving him a happy, loving smile] These two kitties have chosen to recite their own vows to each other, describing the degree of their commitment to each other. Lucy, are you ready to read your voew to Chester? "Yess, I am!" Lucy clears her throat and smiles shyly at Chester. "I, Lucy, chooz you, Chester, to be mine best frend and my luff fur life. I luff yur constant friendship. You haf shown me what true luff is and made my dreams come tru. I prommis to tenderly care fur you, to luff you and to support you, and I prommis to always be ther fur you. I will giff you strength to pursew yur dreems. You will neffur be alone, Chester. My hard will always be yurs." Chester stares in stunned silence at the ladycat befur him, he is in awe of the words she has spoken and for a couple of minutes just can't speak. after he composes hizsef Chester beginsta speak... dearest loferli luci... a mancat only haz nine lifez... i used da firzt one wif hoomanz dat i haffint telled mine current hoomanz abowt, I used da sekund life gettin owtta da death cageplaze anna to the gud kage plaze, now i iz usin da third one devotin mineself to dese kurrint hoomanz... dat meanz i haz six lifez left... I purmize dat I will be devoted ta makin you sekure, I will be devoted to doin stuff wif yourself, I will be devoted ta makin yourself laff... I will be devoted ta gettin uses gud fudz, I will be devoted ta findin uses da bezt nappin plazes, anna I willz be devoted to payin attinshun to your moztezt bootifullezt self... Chester falls silent and then just stands there beclawz he feelz that no matter whut he sayz it wuldint be eliquint enuf fur the visin of loveliness in frunt of him... ...then... I will allatime lofe yoursef anna do whutefur I kan to see dat you iz gifen da bezt nine lifez you kan haf. [Cleo sniffs back a sniffle and discretely wipes a tear from her eye] Very touching and very loving vows, both of you. Kitties, doggies, other honored guests, we have heard Lucy and Chester speak of the love they hold for each other and of their intentions to honor, cherish, and protect each other. [Cleo takes Chester and Lucy's paws in her own] Lucy, Chester, in accordance with the honored traditions of this Community and in the presence of these, your R.P.C.C. family and friends, I do hereby pronounce you winked! [Cleo nods again, and O.T. and Scooter dog again come forward. This time they approach the center of the front stage, from the courtyard level. When they reach the edge of the stage they tug on a hidden release lever, and a middle set of stairs silently glides into place. This middle set of stairs leads from the stage directly behind Chester and Lucy down to the courtyard.] Friends and family, may I present - Lucy and Chester, bewinked! [With this announcement, the organist begins playing Mendelssohn's Wedding March. Lucy and Chester, paw in paw, descend the stairs together and walk the long aisle along the center of the courtyard. They proceed to a spot near the guest book signing table, with their friend cats meowing loud concatulations. Local resident kitties, sitting along the tops of the surrounding walls, meow their concatulations as well. Just behind the bride and groom is Little Kitty's new mural. The mural is currently covered with a white satin sheet. As Lucy and Chester arrive at the mural, Little Kitty kisses Lucy's paw, shakes Chester's paw, makes a little bow, and whisks the sheet off her mural. What appears to the ees of the crowd is an exquisite work of art. Chiseled into the marble walls are images of Lucy and Chester, with some of the local cats, the local buildings, and friends from RPCC. The images of Lucy and Chester exactly show their fur colors and textures. The overall effect is awe-inspiring. As Lucy and Chester stand spell-found, the guests begin arriving to concatulate the new couple.] Lucy's eyes open wide. Little Kitty, I am speachless! Chester, luuk! I neffur expected anything this grand or purrfect. To call it beyoutiful is an understatement! Fangu, fangu Little Kitty, for using your tallents to make owr sellabration effen more speshul and meaningful. Lucy, furry grateful Chester turnz to the onlooking assembli anna sayz diz iz da wurk of da mozt talinted Little Kitty, purleze koncatulate her mozt creatif self, Chester who starts da appawz dat iza bootiful pikture, Chester agin almozt wifout wurdz As the assembled kitties rise to salute the bride and groom, they are directed to turn towards the side wall which is covered with a blue velvet drape. Two cats raise their long trumpets adorned with gold braid, and play a dignified fanfare. The harpist follows with a rich arpeggio. A large golden cord is pulled. The drape falls away revealing the frieze of this very same wedding -- Chester's buff fur is handsomely complimented by the tuxedo; his green eyes gaze lovingly and admiringly into Lucy's shining yellow eyes. Her beautiful lace gown adorns to perfection her black, frown and buff fur. Bridesmaids and groomsmen gather proudly around them. The Officiant, Her Highness Cleopatra Cleocat smiles fondly at the couple as she raises her paw in blessing. Surrounding them are many guests dressed in the finest of finery, all smiling with love and raising their paws in salute. Above all of them, a fine mist of sparkling violet stars descends from a small cloud which reveals a beautiful rainbow-shaped bridge as many more barely perceptible kitties smile down at the wedwink to bestow additional blessings. The frieze looks EXACTLY like the real wedding. A bronze plate in the wall says EVERLASTING Wedwink of Lucy and Chester October, 2007 May this be a reminder to all the world for all future ages that lives and traditions of cats have always been and always will be remarkable, loving and mysterious As the cats apawz fur da bootiful paintin Chester raises hiz pawz fur silinze... err umm der willz bea recpshin immideately... all i knowz bowt it iz dat der will be mousecatto wine anne mice wine, wif sum fudz anna musik anna danzin, i hopez dat loferli lucy anna mizz cleopatra haz more detailz for yourownselves... again thank alla yourselvez fur tindin owrz winkin, Chester... takes the paw of hiz wifekitty wafez anna starts walkin down da stairs to the recepshin... hopin lucy knowz where dey iz goin... Lucy leans close to Chester and whispers: "We didd it, Chester! We reelly did it! Owh, I luff mew!"