Comedy of errors....

To the best of my abilities, I will recount the events of last evening as they unfolded.... For all intents and purposes, names have been changed to protect the identity of those involved....

It all began with a phone call. "Hay-ay. It's me." It was.... Katrina. She called, ummm, Juanita, everyday at least once just to say, uh.... hey.

"Hey!" Juanita replied.

"Whatcha doin'?" Katrina asked. "I was just wonderin' if you wanted to go for a ride.... we can take some flowers, Bella loved fresh cut flowers from the garden."

"I was thinkin' of doing the same thing, sure let's go." Juanita said.

So the girls grabbed a coffee and a tea and off they went, searching for a friend at dusk.

Upon arrival, the girls drove the rows looking for freshness, not really knowing where to start. After several minutes, they came to a spot that was covered with beautiful fresh flowers that had been so obviously laid with love. Could this be the place? They took an initial inspection and after several minutes of rumination, they decided that this must be it.

Just then, a police car drove up slowly with high beams shining. Katrina approached him while Juanita stood back a bit. To their understanding, places like this didn't have hours of operation, it was just known they were always open.

Juanita could hear the two discussing why the girls were there, and heard the police officer offer an explanation for his approach. It seemed there had been trouble with some young hooligans toppling stones. The officer just wanted to make sure that wasn't the case.

After the brief exchange with the officer, Katrina and Juanita grabbed their drinks and a lantern from the car. Once again they approached the mound of flowers.

Katrina rested on the grass on one side of Bella and turned on the lantern. Juanita took the other side.... They started talking.... to Bella. They told her how she was in a beautiful place, and Katrina noted to Bella that at this time of the evening there were lots of mosquitoes.... Juanita had said she should have brought her mouthwash mosquito repellent, and the girls both chuckled because they knew this was a 'Bella thing'.....

Just then, Katrina sat up very quickly and wide-eyed, "What was that? Do you hear that? I think I saw black and white.... Is that a skunk?"

"What? Where?" Juanita asked. "I can't see anything at this time of night."

Though they could still hear rustling in the trees, they went back to chatting with Bella.

As the animal sounds grew louder and drew closer, Katrina slowly started to rise to her feet. Then, in an instant, one rather large skunk, followed by three smaller skunks, emerged from the brush and seemingly took notice of the girls.

By this time, Juanita was on her feet and observed that the mother and her brood were starting to charge the girls. "Oh my gosh! They're coming at us!" Juanita shouted.

"They're coming! Run!" Katrina cried out as she grabbed the lantern and her coffee. The girls were running full tilt toward the car, the whole time laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation.

"You're gonna step on that dirt!" Juanita yelled to Katrina, and as stealthy as Katrina was, she averted the bare plot with a couple of quick side steps. And still, the girls could hear the rushing of the pack behind them, and the loud clanging of Katrina's lantern as it was jostled about.


Juanita was the first to reach the car. She tore open the car door, jumped inside and slammed it shut again. She felt safe, then noticed Katrina fumbling on her side of the car with her coffee and lantern and keys. It hadn't occurred to Juanita to open Katrina's door for her.... instead, Juanita broke into uncontrollable laughter. Katrina hopped into the car in a flurry of clinking and clanging sounds.

The girls sat in the car laughing hysterically and saying that this was definitely Bella at work. She wouldn't have wanted the girls crying over her grave.... they had fun together in life and so it must continue after Bella's passing.

And that's the story, as it was told to me by, a-hem, Katrina and Juanita....
Have a great day ;)