Way back into my childhood, I thought Pepe le Peu was my friend. Truly, I believed that all the Looney Tune characters were my buds (explains a lot!). Anyway, Pepe always set after the felines looking for the perfect mate. Well Mook (BTW - a dog, not a cat) used to have a friend nicknamed "Skunk Buddy". Mook's fall evening strolls would consist of a door to door walk of open garages, knowing that everyone has Milkbones to share. This was like a big payout because each neighbor thought they were her "special" friend. Well - several months into her nightly jaunts, she appeared at the garage of our neighbor, Bart Lassman. Bart and his wife Evan have the most amazing yard in the neighborhood and he has a sweet spot for animals, most especially Mook. When she appeared, he walked towards the front of the garage to get a treat. As he turned to toss it, there appeared....... a big happy skunk, sitting up on it's hind legs! It leapt forward, took Bart's treat, captured it and then scurried back to Mook's side. Mook wasn't leaving without one for herself, so Bart, wanting them both to disappear, tossed another. As the newfound buddies turned to walk away, Bart quickly shut the garage door.
This event appeared nightly at garages around the neighbor for several weeks until we heard the story. So we decidedly called Mook's pal, "Skunk Buddy". They appeared as pals for many more months; sitting under fir trees, wandering the street and palling around.
Well, as they say, all good things come to an end. Mook came home one night quite upset and smelling, of course, like she'd been "skunked". She must have really pissed off Skunk Buddy because she qot the best present possible that night!
So ended the nighttime romps and a possible lifelong friendship. Over a Milkbone? I doubt it. Mook was probably wanting a sniff and got a good one. She's been known to put her nose where it doesn't belong. Mook would tell you that Llamas don't care for it much either; their spit packs a powerful punch if you miss the kick in the face.
I tell this story because of Jack, who got skunked himself a couple of nights ago. And my haven, my home, smells - well you know, pretty bad.
Thanks for the memories Mookie - old girl!
