Christine Code wrote about laughing at my smell problem...so I looked back
but didn't understand the joke.  I wrote, "I'm a mammalogist and have
smelled far worse..." I WAS speaking of myself!
 
However, unfortunately, part of the line was somehow deleted (I suspect Bear
did it).  The line should have read, "I'm a mammalogist and have smelled far
worse, so if the ferrets don't mind my stink, why should I mind theirs?"
 
Actually I'm lying; Christine caught me in a gramatical foopa.  I offer no
defense, and stand humbly corrected in front of thousands.  (Sob!)
 
As compensation for my hairbrained goof, I offer the following story. As
already noted, I am a mammalogist, and extensively travel throughout the
U.S. as part of my job. (I don't actually stink AT it, but have stunk
DOING it!) On occasion, I have converted the back of my van into a mobile
ferret hostel, and carted the beasties over hill and dale. The little
nippers have burrowed into the sand at Great Sand Dunes, drank water out
of the Yellowstone, and dozed under redwoods in a state I won't mention.
(This time the "goof is intentional: I will leave it you you to decide
what "state" they were in ;} ) Last summer I was in Oregon with my car-pet
sharks, and we spent part of our off-hours exploring the tide pools. Try
to imagine a bespectacled goofball being pulled from puddle to puddle by
four bounding and bouncing beasties.
 
I was given swimming and digging lessons for part of the day, then taught
how nice it was to bask in the sun.  Ok, sleep in the sun.  In the meantime,
we had attracted quite a large following of the morbidly curious who were
wondering exactly what kind of "dogs" I was walking.  I looked them straight
in the eye and replied, "polish." If that isn't funny enough for you, it was
for one of the onlookers who let out a yelp of glee, startling Moose, who
proceeded to run up my shorts.  The crowd was delighted, I learned a new
dance step, and Moose, well, he hasn't actually needed therapy, but...
 
By the way, Christine, if you want to proof-read my dissertation...
 
Bob ([log in to unmask])
Moose, Stella, Daye, Tori, and Bear.
 
Moose says, "It wasn't much of a dance.."
 
"Without variation, evolution cannot take place. It is the degree of
difference between individuals that allows a species to face the
challenge of life, and ultimately progress" --C.D.
[Posted in FML issue 1350]