Something Smells Really Fishy

(My wife and I are on a road trip out to Temecula, CA, where my parents-in-law are living. At the end of our vacation, my father-in-law will come back with us to Colorado. He loves seafood, and is worried that it will cost too much and not be fresh in Colorado.)

Father-in-law: “I just bought these fresh fish at the market here. Can I bring them back with us to Colorado so I have something to eat there?”

Me: “Well, we only have this small cooler that can fit a few water bottles. Plus, we are stopping in Las Vegas for the night so it will have to keep for two days while we drive. I doubt the fish will make it that long.”

(He argues with me a little, but in the end my wife tells him no. He makes a few fish sandwiches to eat on the road and I think that is the end of it. We drive to Las Vegas; it is August and around 100 degrees out, so we have the AC blowing the whole way. In Las Vegas, we check into our room and my father-in-law checks into his. About half an hour later, we hear a knock on our door.)

Father-in-law: “There is an awful stench in my room! I have to get a new room!”

(We follow him to his room. A terrible odor is emanating from the room. Inside, we see the fish he had originally asked to bring along sitting on the air conditioner. The air conditioner is blowing on high, spreading the smell throughout the hotel room.)

Wife: “What did you do?!”

Father-in-law: “Well, I had put that fish in my bag because you wouldn’t let me put it in the cooler. When I took it out, it smelled a little funny, and since there was no refrigerator in here, I put it on the air conditioner to cool it down!”