More Bad Hyatt News, Easy Bank Bonuses Are Back & Mark vs. a Skunk

Shawn Coomer (0:00)

More bad Hyatt news, going back after bank bonuses, Audible's deal has returned, and the new quarter means new 5% categories, targeted offers, all of that coming up right now on MTM Travel.

Mark Ostermann (0:13)

I have another animal story too, involving turkeys this time.

Shawn Coomer (0:23)

So happy Thursday everyone, and let's start off with Mark's story. This time it's not a turkey, what kind of wildlife escapades do we have going on up in Michigan?

Mark Ostermann (0:32)

Yeah, so I mean, we get all the animals in our yard, even though we're in the city right by Busy Road, I don't know, understand, but deer, rabbit, raccoons, possums, all the stuff. And I go outside this morning, I'm going to fill up my wife's car, we have a couple of gas cans because when you go to Speedway, if you redeem points, you want to max out the 25 gallons to get the best deal. So if we only have one car going, I'll fill up some gas cans and I want to be the nice husband. I was like, all right, it's 6.30, I'll go out there, add some more gas to her car and get that rolling before she leaves with the kids to take them to school.

And I go over, we have like a shed on the side of the house that I put them in and I go to open that up. And I, for whatever reason, it was pretty dark. I'm like, I'm gonna wear like a headlamp flashlight thing. And just in case, sometimes when you go back there, that's where the garbage cans are. So sometimes there's like raccoons messing around back there. I'm like, I want to be able to see what I'm doing. So I go in, open the shed, grab the two gas cans, turn around, and like three feet away in the bushes right next to the walkway is a skunk.

Shawn Coomer (1:34)

So did he spray you? That's the big question.

I've never, you know, the only time I've ever smelled a skunk is driving by like on the highway or something. But I can't imagine that would be any fun.

Mark Ostermann (1:45)

Yeah, so I looked at it and my flashlight went right into its eyes, which I don't know if was good or bad because skunks hate light. So maybe that freaked it out. But I also was like, oh, crap, it's going to like retaliate at this point because it's scared. That's not the best. But I guess after doing some reading, they usually try to warn you first or give you some time to get away because if they spray, then it takes them like a week or two to get all that back built up.

So I just looked at it and I was like, all right, I'm going to the backyard. So I'm carrying these two gas cans and I run into the backyard because I want to get as far away as possible. Go around the corner, but now I'm kind of trapped in the backyard and the only way out is back where the skunk is. So I'm like, crap, I'm looking through this sliding glass door. Nobody's in the living room or kitchen. So I can't do that. I know my wife had just gotten in the shower.

And so, okay, well, my daughter's bedroom is right there. She's not awake yet. She should have been, but she's not. So I start banging on her window, which is probably the freakiest thing you can do.

Shawn Coomer (2:47)

Skunk, skunk.

Mark Ostermann (2:49)

So I'm knocking on the window. She's not getting up. So I just start banging on the bathroom window, waiting for somebody to come in. My daughter had ran into the bathroom to tell my wife because she's freaked out. And then my wife's a little freaked out. She looks through, I'm like, just have somebody open the door. And finally she comes over and opens the door. I was like, dude, there's, I'm trapped by a skunk. I just want to get inside, get away from this thing.

So I went out like 10 minutes later and I didn't go over to that area, but filled up the car and then went back later when it was daylight and it was gone, thankfully.

Shawn Coomer (3:19)

I mean, it could be worse. It could have just been a bee chasing you around and you're banging and screaming in the family.

That may or may not be me every time a bee flies by me in the backyard. I don't like bees.

Mark Ostermann (3:30)

Nobody wants to be Macaulay Culkin. So I understand that. You didn't get that reference, did you?