-- Epilogue --

                    Some words are sad to sing
                    Some leave me tongue-tied
               (But the hardest thing to tell you)
                   But the hardest words I know
                      Are I love you goodbye
                        I love you goodbye

                                   "I Love You Goodbye" -- Thomas Dolby


     The cool wind whipped across the grave site, carrying the fallen leaves over 
the two tombstones like brightly-dyed kites. Fall had begun in earnest, even though 
the temperature had only dipped slightly. Nevertheless, the leaves, beautiful in 
their death, reminded the lone figure by the tombstones that all things eventually 
come to a close. And looking around at the trees, the figure also remembered that 
for every end, another beginning lay just beyond, ready to unfold its wonders and 
marvels in time.
     Time. Maybe there is enough of it, the figure thought, but we never realize it.
     A single flower was placed in front of Geegaw's tombstone; a goldenrod, his
favorite. Terica also had a flower placed by hers; a violet, her favorite. The 
figure stood back up and looked down at the soil, where, six inches underground, the
couple had finally been reunited in the embrace of the Earth. The figure waited a 
few moments until the wind died down, before turning and addressing Geegaw's grave.
     "Hi," Chip smiled timidly, waving to the grave. "How are you doing so far,
Geegaw? It's been a couple of months since we buried you, but I don't know if you're
aware of that. I'm not sure about the Western side, but over in the Eastern 
afterlife, you lose all track of time once you die. Makes sense really. No sense in
getting ticked off in the first few days of eternity, you know?" He chuckled. "Mind 
if I have a seat?"
     He settled himself down in front of the grave, crossing his legs underneath 
him. "Um... just thought I'd swing by, let you know what's been going on. I know 
Gadget comes out here often, but I don't know if she's told you about some of the 
things that have been going on.
     "First off, we got a letter from Kan and Tham. They've been getting along 
great. In fact, Kan mentioned in the letter that Tham has been an incredible 
boyfriend for a while now. Oh yeah, they're officially dating, can you believe it? 
Monterey and Zipper are working on a letter back to them, mainly to joke and kid 
with Tham about hearing wedding bells all the way over here.
     "Dale and Monterey have tried to convince Gadget to wire up the tree with a
P.A. system. She couldn't understand why, seeing as how with only five of us, it 
wasn't hard to get messages across. They didn't seem to think that the actual 
usefulness of it was important, just as long as we had one. They finally gave up on 
the idea when I pointed out that the noise it would cause would bring more attention
than needed to our tree. I have enough trouble keeping Dale's music and television 
down, but that P.A. system would be as blatant as putting a big neon sign out front 
that reads, 'Hey humans! Secret animal headquarters here! Come see! Three times 
daily with matinees on weekends!' They agreed that would be a bad thing.
     "Dale was sort of disappointed, naturally, but it didn't last long. He's got 
other things on his mind, although he won't say. I'm beginning to suspect that it 
may have something to do with Foxglove. You remember Foxy, right? Yeah, well, 
Dale's been acting... different around her as of late. I mean, they're still doing
all of the same things that they normally do--going to horror movies, playing on the
jungle gym sets at night, and all that stuff--but now Dale's been acting as if these
weren't the same things they've done before. If that doesn't make sense, welcome to 
the club. But his change in interest towards these outings with Foxglove have even
caused Monterey and Zipper to curb their teasing about the two of them. Foxglove, of
course, couldn't care less over the cause of the change, as she's been very 
receptive of it.
     "Let's see, oh yeah, the local chapter of the Animal Aviator Society has made a
petition to enter your name into the permanent hall of champions. They're talking 
about having a huge shin-dig over at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base over in Dayton.
Gadget, of course, is tickled pink by the idea, and insists that we all fly out 
there as soon as the date is set. Dale is eager, as well. He told me that's where 
one of the alien bodies from the Roswell cover-up is being kept. I thought you might
like that.
     "Um... what else... uh well, yeah, Gadget and I kissed a little while back. 
It...." Chip shook his head with a grin. "It was fantastic, Geegaw. Sorry if I'm 
treading on thin ice with you, talking about your daughter's kiss, but... wow. 
Anyway, I couldn't tell you how long it lasted. Seemingly forever, and at the same 
time, not nearly long enough, if you can make sense of that. I mean, everything was
just, well, incridible for eternity, and then, just like that, it was over. She had
just tenderly pulled back, just enough to let out this giggle that tugged on my 
heartstrings so much it hurt. I'm a bit hazy on everything after that point, to be 
honest. I think she got up, sort of shyly, and excused herself from the room. I do 
remember a series of giggles as she left, each one more delicious sounding than the
last. After she left, I think I must have remained in the room for a while, because 
Dale said I was missing for over fifteen minutes. He came and found me, bringing me 
back out to the reception. He told me that I was apparently lost in some sort of
daze, and that he was worried I might have hit my head somehow.
     "Since then, Gadget's been acting just like before... sorta. See, ever since 
then, on cases, she's given me this one particular look. It's happened four times 
so far, and each time it was right out of the blue. Once was even when everyone else
was around, but, thankfully, they didn't notice. Not that it's a *bad* look or 
anything, but when she looks at me like that, well... I can't help but wonder what 
exactly Kan gave her pointers on. And I also wonder why I suddenly feel like she's 
measuring me up, to see if I could handle something." He gulped. "I'm not sure what
she has in mind, but trust me, my imagination has had an Olympic workout thinking of
different possibilities!
     "But I can tell one thing from these looks. Our relationship has moved ahead 
one step. We're not going steady or anything. Yet," he added with a hopeful grin. 
"But we're *definitely* beyond the stage of being  just friends'. Well, maybe we 
were already beyond that for a while, but just never realized it until now. Whatever
the case, it feels good. It feels *right*."
     Chip paused, looking down at the ground, drawing doodles in the grass before
him. He had run out of things to talk about, to kill time. No more beating around 
the bush, he had to state what was really on his mind.
     "Okay, Geegaw, okay," he finally sighed. "You're right. I didn't fly out here 
to tell you all of that. Even the stuff with me and Gadget, she's probably told you,
or maybe you picked it up from her aura or something. I'm not sure. There was a 
certain reason I came out to see you."
     Taking a deep breath, he looked up at the gravestone. "You were right. Okay?
There, I said it. You were right, and I was wrong. That's what I wanted you to 
know."
     He looked carefully at the grave, as if hearing Geegaw's question. "Well, you
were right about *me*, of course. And my feelings for your daughter. Or more 
appropriately, my inability to vocalize them. I can't tell her that I love her, 
until I admit it to myself."
     Straightening his back, he looked directly at Geegaw's engraved name. "So here
you go, Geegaw. Since you were the one who pointed it out to me, I think it's only 
fair that you be here to witness my confession. I lo... I lo..."
     Clearing his throat, Chip tried again, looking directly at the grave.
     "I lo... I lo..."
     I can't believe this! Chip thought. I've practiced it in my mind the whole way
over here, and now, not only can I still not admit it, but I can't even admit it to 
a stone!
     He gave a self-depreciating laugh, rolling his eyes skyward. Nodding to 
himself, he closed his eyes, and searched deep within him for that elusive 
statement. It was easy to find, but he grappled with it like a greased pig, for it 
constantly slipped from his grasp. Finally he latched on to it and spoke before he 
could think twice.
     "I love Gadget."
     He blinked, surprised he had finally admitted it. He tried again.
     "I love Gadget." He looked over at Geegaw's grave and tried. "I love Gadget."
     He felt like something had been lifted from his shoulders as he repeated it 
again, getting a full feel for each word and how they interacted with each other, 
forming a whole, concise sentence. "*I* love Gadget. I *love* Gadget. I love 
*Gadget*."
     Chip smiled widely, trying the phrase on like his favored fedora, shifting it a
bit this way, tugging that way, enjoying how well it fit and the incredible comfort 
he got from it.
     Sighing, Chip looked over to Geegaw's grave. "Happy?"
     He listened as the wind responded.
     "Me too, Geegaw. Me too."
     Standing up, he brushed himself off. "Well, I'd better get moving. I have 
another stop to make before going home." He took out the note from his pocket 
gingerly, as if it was a newborn. Looking back to the tombstone, Chip asked 
timidly, "Tell her... tell Marie... 'Thanks'. Will you Geegaw? I'd... I'd 
appreciate that. Thanks."
     He tipped his hat to Terica's tombstone. "Nice seeing you again, Terica. Glad
to know you and your husband are finally together. I guess happy endings are 
possible after all, huh? It just takes some work to get there. See you two later."
     He turned and walked away, smiling to himself.
     Behind him, two leaves shifted across the graves of Geegaw and Terica. The
wind picked them up into an elaborate and elegant dance, up into the sun's warm 
rays, until they disappeared from sight into the freedom of the vast sky.



                             THE END