Usha fell in love last year with Everything But the Kitchen Skunk: Ongoing Observations from a Working Poet by Molly Fisk.

Everything But the Kitchen Skunk

“My goodness,” I said in a soothing voice. “You have a very fluffy tail, there!”

The skunk kept crunching his or her way through the first of two full bowls of Science Diet Hairball Control Formula for Seniors. “When is it,” I asked rhetorically, “that skunks are most likely to spray?” Since I was already at the computer, and the skunk was clearly not leaving soon, I looked this up on Google, typing softly. Not that often, actually. Just when they are startled. Chomp, chomp. I let out my breath.

“HIIISSSSSSSS!!” My head whipped around, the skunk whipped around and raised its tail to full height. Jack had arrived and was not happy to see his food being devoured. The three of us remained poised and motionless for long enough that my neck froze up again, and then the skunk turned back to eating and Jack jumped up and joined us on the desk. “Holy F-word,” I said out loud, but serenely. “Don’t do that again!”

You can order the book here.