From Kammy:
Sorry, but keeping a journal has never been one of my strengths, much to my regret when I try to come up with names, dates and details. Anyway, one morning when Levi was a Junior or Senior, the dog was making a fuss by the cars when he headed out to do chores before school. When Levi jumped in his car later to head to tech, it smelt like skunk and we figured the dog had been warning one off the property. We just hoped the dog didn’t get sprayed in the process.
Surprisingly, the aroma still lingered when I got in our car to head into town later that morning. I thought maybe a tire or something had caught part of the skunk’s retaliation. The smell got worse as I headed down the hill. I tried opening the window and ventilating, but it didn’t help. Something wasn’t right. Stopping at the barn, I jumped out and lifted the hood to check for a dead skunk.
Nope, not dead, two paws and then the little critter’s head popped out from behind the engine block. "Whoa boy! Stay!" I can assure you it didn’t take me long to close the hood and head into the barn for Juel’s help. Yes, I think I was half in shock, I know I was pretty shaky and not very coherent when I tried to explain the situation to Juel. Tony, pulled up in his truck just as we came out of the barn ("oops, sorry I’m in the way guy, but I am NOT getting back into that car to move it!") Juel lifted the hood, sure enough, it wasn’t just my imagination. The little beast stared back at us, his beady little eyes were issuing a challenge. Juel used a broken shovel handle and nudged the guy, trying to get him to leave on his own steam. No luck, he was sticking to his make-shift fox hole. Ross had shown up by this time and joined Juel and Tony in trying to come up with the best removal solution for our adversary . Tony volunteered the pistol stashed in his cab; but since bullets and engines don’t mix, the idea was put on the back burner. Juel kept mentioning he had heard skunks couldn’t spray if you picked them up by the tail and kept their hind legs off the ground. I think he was seeking reassurance from his fellowmen, but none came. Finally, they decided to go ahead and test the theory. Juel would pick the skunk up by the tail (still can’t decide if he was brave or just stupid! But, hey, he was coming to my rescue so ya got to give him points either way) then throw him towards the ditch; then Tony, who had retrieved said pistol, would “take him out.” It was a shoot-out at high noon! (Hopefully,with the humans being the only ones shooting!)
Juel took a step forward and the rest of us took a step back. We all held our breath as he reached in and grabbed PePe’ le Pew’s tail and pulled his resisting body from the trenches. Mission accomplished! Well, at least he was out of the car, but now he was dangling from Juel’s outstretched arm and he wasn't pleased; but, thankfully, he was still “keeping it together!” Juel walked over and tossed the skunk into the weeds. I think he was a little dazed after his ordeal; because he just kind of scrunched himself together and stood there. (The skunk, not Juel. . .well, come to think of it Juel was a little dazed, too.)
Anyway, now it was “dead eye dick’s (aka Tony’s) turn; he raised his pistol, took careful aim, squeezed the trigger and. . .missed! You’d think that would have had the little varmint running for his life; but no, he cowered in place as our gunslinger lined up his sights again, shot and . . .missed again! Just goes to show that ten paces doesn’t necessarily mean you’re gonna get your. . .skunk. Wish I could say the third time was the charm. (And you always thought those shooting galleries at the carnival were rigged.) I honestly can’t remember if the skunk was shot or the poor little guy finally came to his senses and slunk into the ditch (the skunk, not Tony,) but Juel tells me Tony finally prevailed. With the excitement over and Tony suitably embarrassed, I climbed into my car and headed to Burley with a smile on my face. . .and the windows down!!!
*Tony was hauling some of our hay.
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