I grew up on a farm in Iowa. For a couple of years we had a skunk problem on our farm. By problem I mean there were a bunch of skunks living on our farm.
Occasionally my dad would come across one and shoot it. When you shoot a skunk, they spray their awful smelling stank everywhere as they die. It makes everything smell terrible around it, but it’s the price you pay to get rid of the vermin.
I was in middle school during the height of the problem, and I went to school one day just like every day. In first period class, everyone was commenting about how the room smelled like skunk. I mean, nasty skunk smell. In second period, people were making the same comments. In second period my buddy Brennan, who lived on a farm near mine, said that his dad had shot a skunk the night before and maybe the smell was on him. Everyone started making fun of him for being the skunk boy.
But then it happened. I was sitting in science class when I started to realize that the skunk smell was really strong around me. I started to get a panicky feeling, and as I pulled my shirt up to give it the sniff check, it hit me: I was the skunk boy. My entire shirt was covered in the horrific skunk smells, and it was all over my hands. If you know nothing about skunk smells, you need to know it’s impossible to get it off. You’re supposed to take a bath in tomato juice – and even that is questionable. It just takes time.
So here I was – the skunk boy – but everybody was making fun of Brennan for it. I tried to play it cool. I changed to my gym clothes; I washed my hands; I washed my hands again. But soon there was no denying it.
So when you’re having a rough day in middle school, just remember that your teacher went to middle school one day smelling like a skunk.
Mr. Forbes,
Thats very gross, i can’t even imagine getting sprayed with a skunk! I love the way you explained it. I would never be able to deal with that smell and definitely wouldn’t be able to bathe in tomatoes. I hate tomatoes!! How long did it take you to get the smell gone?
Kyara,
I didn’t do that tomato juice bath thing – I’m also not a big fan of tomato juice. It took a couple of days for the entire smell to go away. I hope you don’t ever have to experience it.
Mr Forbes.
This is a pretty cool blog about skunks but it sucks that it sprayed you. Nice blog !
Mr. Forbes,
This post, is one of the most funniest I’ve ever read! I’ve never actually seen skunk before. But I’d probably want to see it from a mile away… Did you actually bathe in tomato juice??
Joan,
No tomato juice bath for me. I’m not sure if I actually believe that or if it’s just an old myth. I just had to wait it out (and throw away the clothes I was wearing). It wasn’t fun.