The Bats of Skunk Hollow

Our house was next to the mountain in an area nicknamed Skunk Hollow. In all the years we lived there we never saw one skunk! There were bears, cougars; bobcats; snakes, spiders, scorpions, ants, black widow spiders, puff spiders; Daddy long legs and a host of other critters but never a skunk. I always wondered who named it Skunk Hollow!!

We learned to live alongside these critters but the one that I could not tolerate was the bat. I was terrified of them. In the summer we often sat on the front porch to catch a cool breeze and watch the sun slide behind the mountain. Within minutes of dusk settling in we would hear the flap, flap, flap of those dreaded little creatures from another world.

We could see them against the fading light as they came from the mountain. Hordes of them all circling and swooping. They were one creature that struck terror in my heart and made me weak with fear.

I remember one night just at dusk when we were sitting on the porch waiting for out of town company. Before long a car pulled up behind Dad’s and a big guy got out of the car. Wow..we were excited! It was the Armeneau’s from Vancouver.

No sooner had they all got out of the car when they were attacked by the bats. They swooped down and scared the ***** out of everyone but Silver. They seemed to be attracted to Jane’s red hair and Wayne’s blond hair and Lorna’s auburn hair as they kept swooping and grabbing. Silver had no hair so he was immune from these little attacks.

There was a lot of screaming from Jane and Lorna. Wayne, being a big strong boy, grabbed some rocks and threw them up in the air without thinking that they were gonna land somewhere…yup…bump, bump, bump…right on top of their car. Now it had three lovely little dents in the roof!

Dad calmly walked around the side of the house and turned on the tap and told Silver to grab the hose and aim for the little bats. As soon as they felt the spray from the water they left us alone.
Well that was such a nice welcome for our company! Every night that they were there we would sit on the step with Wayne in charge of the hose and as soon as we saw them coming, he went into action and hosed them down!!!

It was always at dusk that we were bothered by them all through the years. I have not seen a bat anywhere else and that suits me just fine!!!