Poop on Driftwood

Warning:  This post may not be suitable for all audiences and includes scenes which some viewers may find disgusting.  It is intended for immature audiences whom when told, "Ew!  Smell that!" actually smell it.  This post may not be appropriate for pregnant women, people with stomach ailments, those who have just eaten cotton candy, two corn dogs and a funnel cake, and collectors of Precious Moments figurines. Viewer discretion is advised.


Picture this:  an early spring day, a clear blue sky, an endless stretch of empty beach, waves breaking on the sand, and Bojangles romping free through the sand grass.  It's a pretty image, right?  At least, I though so until we came upon the first carcass.

Yes, that's right,  "the first", meaning there was more than one.  In fact, animal carcasses were scattered all up and down the beach, foul and fetid carrion in varying stages of decay and decomposition.  A malodorous melange of mort.  A vile variety of vermin.  Seagulls, raccoon, fish, and opossum had all washed up on shore with the ice and were left to molder under the snow until reappearing, ripe and rancid, this spring.

Now, I am well acquainted with the whole "circle of life" thing, so I can't say I was especially heart-broken to see the dead animals, but I was surely revolted.  I mean, who wouldn't be revolted?

Well... Bojangles, for one.  Apparently, what we humans find rank and repulsive has quite the opposite effect on dogs - they find it irresistibly attractive. In fact, Bojangles was carrying on like Homer Simpson at an all-you-can-eat buffet, running from carcass to carcass to stop, drop, and roll in the wretched stench.

It was absolutely disgusting.

Then just when I thought he could not get any more revolting, Bojangles stopped at a piece of driftwood, squatted with quivering shanks, and dropped a steaming turd very artfully onto it's weathered top.  Poop on driftwood.  Yep.   My dog's a real charmer.

Source:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/stowephotography/

(Just in case you're looking, you won't find any poop on this driftwood - it's the right beach, but it's not my photo)