Odor
I sat down, logged in, and smelled something awful wafting through the air.
It had an odor like stinky old man breath. I couldn't tell from where it was coming. I checked myself, breathed into my hand, sniffed my clothing. Everything seemed okay. But then I smelled it again. Could it be the person in the cubicle across from mine?
It wasn't just morning breath, it was morning-after breath. I breathed into my hand again. I smelled my clothes. I drank some water and started chewing minty gum.
At first I thought I could associate the smell with one coworker, but then I smelled it when he walked away. Then it's me, right? It's got to be me.
I ran over to another coworker. "Do I smell? I need you to tell me if I smell like stinky old man breath."
I leaned in. I sheepishly breathed on my coworker. She looked troubled. "You smell fine. You do not smell like a stinky old man."
I went back to my desk. But there it was again. Really awful. Hints of memories of visiting Great Grandma Sophie in the home, cakey saliva in the corners of her mouth, ripped pantyhose, yellowed hoary hair pulled back in an ancient bun. She'd squint and breath on us and our eyelashes would get singed. Flowers would wilt. Me? Is this me now?
Periodically, throughout the day, I would catch the smell as it tumbled through the air. Me? Is it me? But I just flossed last night. And I always rinse with that horrible, antiseptic, old fashioned Listerine!
After I had gotten my wisdom teeth removed, I brushed and flossed, but an odor rose in my mouth. Rotting food. But I didn't know that at the time. It was almost unbearable. A trip back to the doctor, and he revealed that I had developed dry sockets and was harboring a week's worth of decomposing food particles inside holes in my gums.
Something was rotting. Something was definitely decomposing. If it wasn't in my mouth, then where in god's name was it?!?
I checked the trash can. I sniffed the inside of my desk drawers, my keyboard, my mouse. My eyes fell on a coffee mug. Which I hadn't used for about a week. I had made some tea that was supposed to promote lactation. I picked up the mug. There was Great Grandma Sophie! There was rotting dry sockets! Good lord! What a stench!
I was unbelievably relieved it wasn't me that was rotting. Phew! But I couldn't stop sniffing myself the whole rest of the day. Do I smell? Then I would remember: No! It wasn't me. It was the extremely neglected mug of herbal tea on my desk. What wonderful news!