Injury to insult... or something. One of my colleagues said, “You know it’s just not your day when...”

After a very disappointing day, on my way out the door for home I was assaulted. Yes, assaulted by this little critter :

Sigh...


I leave the building and it’s quite dark. While walking across the grass I hear a “rustling” in the brush off to one side. When I turn to look I see what appears at first to be a crazy raccoon. The little guy was running straight towards me. “What an odd behavior for a raccoon, usually they run away.” I thought.... Once he closed within 10 yards I began to get nervous. Once he got within 5 yards I realized this was no mere raccoon. He was in fact a skunk. With no hiss or bark or warning he hopped around and pointed his backside at me. I started to run, but not before he got a “volley” off. I, a fully grown man, a scientist with a PhD in physics, ran in terror screaming “SKKKKUNNNNNKKKKKKKKK” into the night. Thankfully I was only lightly grazed and alone with my shame. However, it was a long ride home... often with the windows down.

So, to cap off a rotten day I got sprayed by a skunk. That’s not how I intended the experiment to go. No where in the proposal did we request a skunk. No where in the safety write up did it mention assault by skunk. In fact, I’m not sure there is even an MSDS for “skunk.” How careless...

I figured the cats would go crazy at home, but in fact they we only mildly curious. I did however get to sleep alone on the couch with nary even a cat.