Jessie's Pet Skunk: A Sordid Tale of Jealousy

My great-aunt used to tell me a story, when I was little, about her sister's pet skunk.

Jessie had adopted a baby skunk they had found in the woods. She feed it. She washed it daily, and it was generally a good little pet. During the summers, their father used to set up a cot on the porch to sleep on. He decided that he would let the skunk sleep with him.

Now my great grandfather had a little hound dog, who became jealous of the skunk. He'd sit on the front doorstep and stare at the skunk curled up next to my great grandfather.

One day, everyone left to go into town, and the skunk and little dog were left at home. When they got back, the skunk was gone and the little dog was sitting on the doorstep. Jessie went around the house looking for her pet skunk and finally came back to the front porch.

Jessie stared at the little dog. The little dog wouldn't look at Jessie.