Stinkers

My old college buddy sent me this picture. What surprised him was not so much the skunk eating the catfood he placed outdoors, but his cat’s blasé reaction to the theft. Maybe the cat’s thinking, "That’s okay. There’s plenty more where that came from." If pets only knew the high price of their grub nowadays, My dog’s treats cost more than mine. Wonder if I could get Doogie to share my pretzels instead of begging for a Beggin Strip.

We had a stinker of our own this past weekend. I hate rebates. It just seems like companies make you somersault through hoops sideways to get a couple bucks back. "Include the model number, the UPC code, your original sales receipt (then what if it's defective?), the completed rebate form and the eye of a newt. You should receive your rebate within six months."

So in the mail comes what looks like a credit card addressed to my son. He already has two, one of which he swears he didn’t order. Why financial institutions are so eager to hand out credit cards to college students with heavy debt and little income is beyond me. Perhaps to get kids used to paying high interest rates when they start charging more than they can afford. It’s America after all.

But no way are we going to allow another credit card into our household. That got chopped up faster than an onion in a Japanese steakhouse. Only later did my wife read the accompanying flyer: "Enclosed is your rebate card for $50. It can be redeemed for products and services at any business that accepts VISA."