unmistakable smell of death

Wednesday I opened the kitchen door, heading to lunch with friends. Before I reached the driveway I caught a whiff of an unfortunately familiar smell: "ewww, that is disgusting, something died". Several thoughts ran through my mind as I did a quick scan, looking for the body. I knew there had to be one somewhere close. Death has a distinctive odor. 

my thought process as I walked toward my car:
at least it isn't something my dogs got this time
I was in front of the house, they live in the backyard
if I stop to investigate I will be late
but I can't just leave, I'll take a quick look in the front flower bed
a sigh of relief 
nothing there
immediate concern
I hope it isn't a cat or kitten that found a way under my house
no more time to look now
there will be time after lunch, before practice
I hope I don't have to crawl under the house to investigate
I am too old and in no shape to be doing that

I ended up making a quick trip to Ashland after lunch, before practice. I had errands to run and needed a few groceries. I was running late because I dawdled at the clearance racks in Kohls, so when I arrived home I made a quick dash into the house to put the freezer and refrigerator stuff away. As I walked back to the car to drive to practice I realized the smell was gone. I mentally blessed the neighbor who had found the cause and took care of it.

At lunch we'd made plans to go to the High School girls soccer game after supper. That would put me home after dark so I decided to feed the dogs and give them fresh water before I left again. I went through the gate and it was like walking into a wall of the smell of death. I didn't have to look far for the cause- it was right there, between the back porch and the fire pit. Based on the color I feared it was a small cat. I was glad when I got close enough to see that it was another possum. 

it was nearing the end of a long day
it was still above 90 degrees 
it was humid

I wondered how long it had been baking in that heat
obviously too long
the body stank to high heaven

I was tired
I did not want to deal with it
I couldn't call anyone

I had to deal with it
I sent a text "I am going to be late..."
I trudged into the house to get a plastic garbage bag 

when I opened the cabinet door, stuff tumbled out
that normally does not happen
but it has been a mixed season of unusual happenings
big, weary sigh
tired thoughts
"it figures"
"all I wanted was a trash bag"
"death really, really, really stinks"
"why does death have to add so much more work to life?"

I walked to the back of the building to grab the proper tool
shoveled the already rotting, maggot covered body into the garbage bag
went to the shed and got a shipping plastic bag from Kohl's
put the first bag in the second
got a plastic, disposable cookie tray from the house to put the bags on
opened the trunk of my car and carefully, gingerly, put the mess in there
immediately went to the field house dumpster and disposed of the body
and contemplated a bad news/good news thought platform

bad news
something died
good news
it wasn't a kitten
bad news
it was in my backyard
good news
I didn't have to put it in my trash can 
bad news
death stinks and when it ends up in your backyard, you cannot ignore it
good news
Jesus came and defeated the power of death-it still stinks, but we don't have to live with its stench infiltrating our lives and we do not have to deal with the mess that it brings to our lives by ourselves