As I’ve said before my house is adjacent to Assiniboine forest where I walk every morning. I take one of the two paths which pass through the center of the forest. Where they cross I turn back the way I came, about a fifteen minute walk in all.
This morning however it almost became a much longer walk. A skunk has taken up residence somewhere near the entrance to the path I use. I’ve heard it rustling around a number of times and had caught a glimpse of black and white but nothing sure enough to know it was a skunk.
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| Thats no kitty |
I’m quite sure it’s a skunk now. This morning after I passed its hiding place it decided to saunter out and sit itself down smack dab in the center off the path. No I didn’t get sprayed, trust me this post would contain some very choice words had that happened but it was a near thing.
I knew something was on the path shortly after having turned around to head back as the dog had suddenly gone all perky and excited. The underbrush and grass on either side of the path has is about waist high and the path curves just ahead of where the skunk sat so I wasn’t able to see it until I was practically on top of it.
I froze the second I caught sight of it reeling the leash in as fast as possible. The dog despite my sudden fright was still hoping for a new friend to meet and was doing his best to maintain our forward momentum. At times like this I can’t help but think a smaller dog might be a better idea.
If he was so inclined and I didn’t get a chance to plant my feet he could easily pull me over or drag me along but thankfully he has been well trained and as soon as I said “leave it” he came to a halt. So there skunk and I stood staring at each other neither sure exactly what to do now.
The dogs low “I want to go” whine started in the back off his throat a sound I know will often lead to a single high pitched bark of impatience and started walking backwards. The skunk either disliking the whine or the movement growled and turned its tail. I have no doubt had the dog actually barked I would not be having a good day.
As the skunk stood there tail turned and twitching I decided walking down the path to the far side of the forest and around was probably the best choice. I’m still limping badly and I didn’t really have the time to do it but given the alternative I was going around.
As soon as I got a few feet further from the skunk it took off through the brush at a speed I didn’t know skunks possessed so I stopped and watched until the moving grass was far off the path and made my way out of the forest and home as quickly as possible. Home has never smelt better.
