Peach Picking and Getting Skunked

Mom and dad had six of us kids, so mom was always looking for ways to stretch the budget and provide a little adventure in the process. On one occasion mom found out about this orchard where folks could pick their own peaches. It was quite the bargain, so we all piled into the ford station wagon, including our dachshund named Lucky, and headed off to orchard. Soon we were picking peaches and piling them into boxes and bushel baskets.

Then suddenly, Lucky, who was tethered to a rather long rope, lit up like he had been plugged into an electrical outlet. He went into full hound dog mode, tearing off full steam into a patch of scrub oak, in hot pursuit of some critter. We all ran after him only to find that he had cornered the ugliest old skunk we had ever laid eyes on.  At first I thought he was a porcupine but it soon became obvious that I was mistaken. The rope connected to Lucky had wound around the oak brush so tight that he couldn't escape from the full vengeance of the skunk.  I remember seeing him straining at the rope and barking for all he was worth. And that old skunk did just what skunks do. We gagged as we put paper cups over our noses and somehow managed to unravel the rope and get Lucky out of there. 

That ended our peach picking adventure, but what could be done about one unbearably smelly hound. It seems mom may have suggested the tomato juice bath. I don’t think we actually tried it. I do remember us digging a hole –I think at dad’s suggestion –and piling dirt on top of Lucky. It worked pretty well except when it rained, and then he would smell like a skunk again.

-Darell