Something Stinky This Way Comes…
Or “Oh no! Traddles got skunked, again!”
“It smelled like something died, farting in her mouth.” — The Beautician and the Beast
Traddles was one of the best dogs. But he had a thing for skunks. He would chase them down and come back with the most horrible smell. It was your worst nightmare, it was death itself, it was pungent and putrid and made your eyes water out of your nose.
It also smelled slightly like Starbucks.
Why was Traddles the only dog that got skunked? Was it love? Or just bad luck? We never found out for sure.
He started out his life as a neighborhood pup. A regular Tramp going from house to country house.
Just like Visa, he was everywhere he wanted to be. Not every animal was received kindly in the country, but there was something about this black pup with the one floppy ear that no one could resist. He got treats and love wherever he went.
When we moved to the country to be closer to my aging grandmother, this little fluffy visitor would come for visits and follow us around. Then, one day, he went missing.
When he showed back up, he was a lanky, too-skinny, half-grown dog with a full-on case of the mange. He…
