I could
immediately smell that the skunk defensively had sprayed both dogs. So I
grabbed Bentley and while backing away from the skunk, I stood up underneath
the four foot deck and hit the back of my head so hard that I fell to the
ground. While on the ground with one dog still in hand, the skunk slinked right
past my head. I am eye level with the critter, hoping that he does not also see
me as a threat. Fortunately, he does not. I get both dogs into the house and
the skunk runs off into the woods behind my house.
Two days and
six showers later, I let them out again thinking that both the dogs and the
skunk had learned their lessons and had arrived at some sort of territorial
truce. Wrong! Again I hear the loud barking coming from the side of the house.
I was literally on my way to work for a GNEMSDC board meeting that morning.
Again, the skunk sprays both dogs. I get both dogs into the house again and
into the shower for another set of showers. After my fourth shower of the
morning, sans canines, and get dressed again to go the board meeting. In my
haste and because by now, I cannot smell the pungent aroma of skunk on me
anymore, I put on the same suit I had on when I retrieved the dogs from the
skunk an hour earlier.
As soon as I
walk into the office, Julia, Jose, Jennifer, Jerilynn and Diane start sniffing
and they ask, "Do you smell a skunk?" I have to admit that I am the
source of the offense. But now it is too late to go back home and change to be
on time for the board meeting. So I start the board meeting with an apology for
smelling like a skunk. It was a meeting that unfortunately, did not have
the smell of success.
After the
board meeting I had a meeting with New Haven Mayor Toni Harp. On the advice of
all I had come within sniffing range, I returned home, took another shower put
my suit in a bag and changed clothes.
I wonder if
there is a lesson here for anybody other than to not let your dogs play with
skunks. Or perhaps more philosophically, if you hang out with people (dogs) who
hang out with skunks, don't be surprised if you smell like a skunk - and you
might not even realize it!
