I Had a Skunk Encounter
Embracing my aromatic passions again!
It's been nearly a year since I was last sprayed, and Penelope's last time being tagged was last summer. I had made several attempts at a chase in January and February, but never succeeded (mainly because let's face it, if you want to guarantee a spray you have to go RIGHT UP to the skunk, and given I was throwing Penelope from several feet away they apparently weren't interested in tagging her anymore).
Tonight I won the coin toss by 5:4 on the heads/tails ratio. I suited up, but left my gloves, which came back to haunt me, as I'll explain. I remember leaving at about 4:20 a.m. and probably got to the lake around 4:40 or so. I took the roundabout way with highways and all instead of the usual direct route, which is probably why I nearly struck out on my skunkseeking. I don't think there's many (if any) near the main golf course area anymore, or if there are, they're keeping very odd hours. On my way out, however, I managed to find one stinker and immediately pulled over the car to chase after it. Fumbling with the keys and the fact I'd left my headlights on so the car wouldn't stop beeping at me, I wasted precious seconds getting that together and dove out with Penelope to chase the little guy.
Finding it quickly I caught up on a mad dash and hurled Penelope right at it's butt, causing a beautiful shower of droplets, nearly all of which hit Penelope and a few of which graced my right arm. The beautiful aroma of fresh skunk hit the air immediately and I got greedy as usual, still trying to coax more spray even after the skunk had wedged itself under an evergreen tree. Had I been wearing the gloves, I could've gone for a tail grab and possibly even dragged the skunk out from under the tree, since it didn't want to fire anymore in such close quarters (all those branches pretty much everywhere in the way). Eventually giving up when the skunk proved it would rather circle the tree as I approached and attempt to bite than outright spray, I headed back to the car.
That's when the usual procedure broke down. No gloves meant no way to touch the door handle, steering wheel, gear shifter or seat belt without potential contamination from my sprayed hands. I did get the door open by putting the back of my shirt over my hand, and had to put Penelope directly onto the towel I'd draped on the passenger's side seat. Unfortunately, the steering wheel and gear shift remained a problem. I tried grabbing some receipts I had in the car, but those don't make for very sturdy barriers, and eventually I resorted to using the other end of Penelope's towel, which toppled her over at one point, and may have contaminated the seat, since the towel stretching left part of it uncovered, and her tail rested on the seat. I won't know until I go for another drive, but I can only hope it's not contaminated (I can't have my clothing end up skunked every time I drive it, AGAIN...)
But now I'm home, relaxing in my chair, sniffing Penelope and enjoying myself to the fullest, just basking and having fun, my skunky friends all congratulating me and so jealous of my perfuming. I made sure I had today off to deodorize, and I will have to go pretty hardcore on any areas that were sprayed (which as far as I can assess was JUST my right arm near the wrist). I'd deodorize now, but I only have the 2 H2O2 bottles left and would hate to have to use one now then another after I've had some sleep. I know Penelope, with her freshly streaked, skunky yellowed stripes, will definitely be cuddling me tonight, giving me the sweetest skunkiest dreams I've had in a year. Hopefully the plans to meet up and eat tonight will give me the opportunity to get sniff-checked by my best friend Nick beforehand, but I can't bank too much on that since his girlfriend disapproves of my skunkiness entirely, and she comes to the weekly dinner meet as well.
Until then I'll just keep inhaling this sweet stink while it lasts. It's so wonderfully intoxicating, especially on Penelope! Must be the mating season pheromones, hmm? Ah, the scent of love <3
It's been nearly a year since I was last sprayed, and Penelope's last time being tagged was last summer. I had made several attempts at a chase in January and February, but never succeeded (mainly because let's face it, if you want to guarantee a spray you have to go RIGHT UP to the skunk, and given I was throwing Penelope from several feet away they apparently weren't interested in tagging her anymore).
Tonight I won the coin toss by 5:4 on the heads/tails ratio. I suited up, but left my gloves, which came back to haunt me, as I'll explain. I remember leaving at about 4:20 a.m. and probably got to the lake around 4:40 or so. I took the roundabout way with highways and all instead of the usual direct route, which is probably why I nearly struck out on my skunkseeking. I don't think there's many (if any) near the main golf course area anymore, or if there are, they're keeping very odd hours. On my way out, however, I managed to find one stinker and immediately pulled over the car to chase after it. Fumbling with the keys and the fact I'd left my headlights on so the car wouldn't stop beeping at me, I wasted precious seconds getting that together and dove out with Penelope to chase the little guy.
Finding it quickly I caught up on a mad dash and hurled Penelope right at it's butt, causing a beautiful shower of droplets, nearly all of which hit Penelope and a few of which graced my right arm. The beautiful aroma of fresh skunk hit the air immediately and I got greedy as usual, still trying to coax more spray even after the skunk had wedged itself under an evergreen tree. Had I been wearing the gloves, I could've gone for a tail grab and possibly even dragged the skunk out from under the tree, since it didn't want to fire anymore in such close quarters (all those branches pretty much everywhere in the way). Eventually giving up when the skunk proved it would rather circle the tree as I approached and attempt to bite than outright spray, I headed back to the car.
That's when the usual procedure broke down. No gloves meant no way to touch the door handle, steering wheel, gear shifter or seat belt without potential contamination from my sprayed hands. I did get the door open by putting the back of my shirt over my hand, and had to put Penelope directly onto the towel I'd draped on the passenger's side seat. Unfortunately, the steering wheel and gear shift remained a problem. I tried grabbing some receipts I had in the car, but those don't make for very sturdy barriers, and eventually I resorted to using the other end of Penelope's towel, which toppled her over at one point, and may have contaminated the seat, since the towel stretching left part of it uncovered, and her tail rested on the seat. I won't know until I go for another drive, but I can only hope it's not contaminated (I can't have my clothing end up skunked every time I drive it, AGAIN...)
But now I'm home, relaxing in my chair, sniffing Penelope and enjoying myself to the fullest, just basking and having fun, my skunky friends all congratulating me and so jealous of my perfuming. I made sure I had today off to deodorize, and I will have to go pretty hardcore on any areas that were sprayed (which as far as I can assess was JUST my right arm near the wrist). I'd deodorize now, but I only have the 2 H2O2 bottles left and would hate to have to use one now then another after I've had some sleep. I know Penelope, with her freshly streaked, skunky yellowed stripes, will definitely be cuddling me tonight, giving me the sweetest skunkiest dreams I've had in a year. Hopefully the plans to meet up and eat tonight will give me the opportunity to get sniff-checked by my best friend Nick beforehand, but I can't bank too much on that since his girlfriend disapproves of my skunkiness entirely, and she comes to the weekly dinner meet as well.
Until then I'll just keep inhaling this sweet stink while it lasts. It's so wonderfully intoxicating, especially on Penelope! Must be the mating season pheromones, hmm? Ah, the scent of love <3
41-45, M
