NOW FOR A SKUNK STORY THAT IS TOO GOOD NOT TO TELL
My brother in law had problems with skunks. He borrowed a live trap, and set it. Caught the skunk, and waits for night to dispose of it.
Now, what do you do with it? Sister tells him to take a blanket, wet it, then gently put it over the cage, so he can lift the cage for transport.
Brother in law knows better. He takes blanket and throws it over the cage. Skunk explodes. After a bit, brother in law puts cage in back of truck, takes a rope, and proceeds to creek outside of town with objective of giving skunk swimming lessons.
He gets to bridge over creek, ties rope to cage, takes blanket off, and lowers skunk down toward the water. ROPE TOO SHORT! Cage is three feet above water. Brother in law hauls skunk up, covers cage with blanket and proceeds to boat landing at river.
He starts down boat ramp carrying cage. Recent rain has turned boat ramp into mud....he slips and starts sliding down boat ramp. He hits the bottom of the boat ramp and sinks into two feet of water, and about a foot of mud on the bottom. However, when he hits the water, he has presence of mind to give the cage and skunk an aerial ride out to the deeper water. One problem, the rope attached to the cage is now being carried downstream by the current, about 30 feet offshore, in deeper water.
Brother in law now figures to hell with it, and attempts to go back up boat ramp. However, he is wearing slip on shoes, one of which is left behind in the mud of the river bottom. He searches around for it, gets it, and tries to get back up the ramp. Slips and falls flat in mud, soaking and covering his pyjamas.
Finally makes it up ramp after another couple of falls, gets in his new truck, and drives home. Sister is waiting for him, sees him coming up walk, all mud covered, and locks door of house, informing him he WILL wash himself off with the garden hose before he is allowed to enter. Brother in law now has to take truck into car wash, and have them clean and vaacum the seats and inside, due to mud.
Next day, a walker goes over bridge near boat ramp, and sees cage and yellow rope trailing from it. Walker calls SPCA, (who, being in the fund raising mode at this time), figures "Great Publicity."
Half page published in the local daily newspaper, showing cage, smiling SPCA people, and tearful story about poor skunk clawing for his life on metal cage. Story also mentions direful laws and penalties for being cruel to animals.
Sister sees this in daily paper, phones brother in law at work, and tells him of it. Brother in law makes panic appointment with his Lawyer. After telling the Lawyer the story, (and waiting for about five minutes for the Lawyer to stop laughing ), he is informed that not much would come to it IF the case ever got to court.
Brother in law then buys NEW cage to replace the one he borrowed, (after swearing the person he borrowed it from to secrecy and the dire consequences of what would happen to the guy's anatomy if he were to open his mouth), and bribes the guy with a steak dinner for him and his wife.
TRUE STORY! SO, BE CAREFUL HOW YOU HANDLE YOUR SKUNKS!
