What...or Who...Is that SMELL!?!

This morning I came into my classroom in the middle of 2nd period and smelled one of the nastiest smells ever. The room was full of students (who are not mine but rather taught by another teacher who uses my room that period) and since it is not uncommon to enter a classroom full of adolescents only to have one's olfactory senses engaged by odd and unpleasant smells I didn't think too much of it initially. Even so, I was eventually overtaken with a disgust of the display of a lack of personal hygeine that was apparently coming from one of the young ladies at a particular table. Thankfully I only had to grab a few things and then head out of the room to go work elsewhere. I would not have to endure this foul odor.

Much to my dismay, however, upon returning to my classroom for 3rd period the stinch lingered. I was shocked at just how stinky this little lady was! Shouldn't someone inform her of this? Such stinkiness can only lead to a life of taunts and loneliness! Yes, someone should definitely address this issue. Someone other than me, of course, but I was willing if need be. Afterall, I don't want her to be shunned and therefore scarred for life as a result of her ignorance of her own odor.

Well, as the day progressed there were still strong reminders of her presence earlier in the day. It was really quite hard to believe that one person could posess such a strong scent that not only encapsulates her immediate surroudings but that also leaves behind a trail of tears due to the stinging sensation that is brought to one's eyes even after she has vacated the premises! To be honest, it was such a rancid smell that it got my "allergy cough" going!

Ah! But my cough is what led me to a highly revelatory find!

I reached into a Kroger sack that was sitting on a table near my desk. I recalled seeing a bottle of water in it on Friday and since I had forgotten to bring new bottles in this morning I was very pleased at this remembrance. What came next was not at all pleasing!

As I began to unscrew the bottle cap and HORRIFIC odor filled my nostrils. The smelly little lady from earlier paled in comparison! It was quite possibly the most horrendous, putrid, vile smell my nose has ever taken in! What could it be????

As I took a second look over at the Kroger sack memories of last week's breakfast flooded my mind. At the tail end of those memories was a small bottle of milk. Milk that was 2/$1.00 at Kroger. One of which I drank quickly last Tuesday and one of which...yes...I left in a sack on my desk. And guess what? Milk smells REALLY BAD when left sitting out on a desk for nearly a week!

So, at the present time I am sitting in my classroom trying to air it out because, as it turns out, the only thing smellier than a bottle of milk rotting on your desk is the smell that lingers once that bottle has been disturbed. It reeks in here! Not to mention my hands! Oh Lord! I've washed my hands six or more times with various scented soaps and still the fragrance of rotting milk is what persists!

The only think that makes this an amusing story is the fact that I dwelled for nearly three hours on how one could/should approach that young girl about her odor issues....even though it wasn't her at all! But rather my absentmindedness that was the cause of this unfortunate event. It's a good thing I figured this out today because come tomorrow she may havehad an anonymous bar of soap, washcloth, deodorant, and a homemade how-to-keep-clean guide waiting on her when she came to class tomorrow. As if THAT wouldn't have scarred her for life!