Scented Markers

Do you remember when that wonderful set of smelly markers started showing up in the school supply aisle? It's been more than 20 years! If I close my eyes I can still smell the orange, cherry, watermelon, lime, licorice, blueberry and lemon. I know... I'm missing one from the original line-up but my brain is old. Back in the day, I worked with a wonderful young man who had a seizure disorder that would result in petit mal episodes, after which he would forget what we had been working on. Some days we would go over the same addition problem 5 or 6 times. Anyway, when the smelly markers first came out, we guarded them carefully lest one should end up missing or damaged. They were a new, expensive commodity only to be used for special art projects. One day, after about 160 of 180 days of school, we lost the box of smelly's. Couldn't find it anywhere but noticed that our precious youngster had disappeared as well. Yikes! In full-on panic mode, and fearing that he was seizing somewhere, we started our search of the classroom. Found him tucked in a quiet book corner, trying to make himself very small. Here's the point of this post, and the picture I'd like for you to have in your mind: When we found him, he was intently sniffing the markers one by one and inhaling the scents VERY deeply. We watched him for a few minutes, trying very hard not to bust out laughing, as he carefully took out, sniffed and replaced each of the markers one by one. Eyes closed and with a blissful face, it looked like he was trying to plant the memory of each scent in the safest recesses of his brain. When he finally caught us looking at him, we couldn't stop the giggling...He had the most beautiful rainbow mustache!