Friday, June 8, 2012

The Nose Knows

I don't know about you but smell tends to trigger the most memories for me.  I smell a certain cologne and think of the men of my past.  I smell apple pie and think of my best friend from elementary school whose mother used to bake.  I smell popcorn and think of Screen on the Green.  I smell Rum and think of Cancun.  I could go on for days... you get the drift.  Yesterday, I went to Barnes & Noble to stock up on some summer reads (And if you're wondering why I don't have a Kindle, then you don't know me.  I love books.  I love flipping page.  I especially love the way book pages smell... the smell of books reminds me of my childhood library... so, that's why I don't want a Kindle).

As I was wondering around the store, I happened to get stuck walking behind a man who smelled like Irish Springs soap.  And immediately I was taken back to my grandmother's (my dad's mom) house in Pennsylvania.  And then I remembered Shoo-fly Pie, home grown zucchinni, Flyer's hockey, sharing a one bathroom townhouse with lots of people, the 3 Stooges and peppermint.  All because of one small smell.  See, my grandmother used Irish Spring soap and whenever my family and I would go visit her we would all use the soap.  And we would all smell like a crisp Irish spring. And it was delightful. 

My grandmother passed away while I was in high school and it's been a while since I've actually stopped to think about her.  So, thank you to the nice smelling gentleman in B&N for bringing back such wonderful memories.  Rest In Peace, Grandma!  I'm thinking about you.

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