I have always had a keen sense of smell. Usually, this isn't a positive thing as many smells bother me. A few times, though, it has come in handy. I'd like to take you back to a moment from my childhood when my overactive sniffer was a blessing.
Growing up, I was basically the only kid in my extended family as all of the others lived far away. It was me and a half dozen adults, give or take. In many ways this was a positive thing. This also was a negative thing. I was just a 'kid' and hadn't been around long enough to know more than anyone else around me.
One day, at my aunt's house, I could smell something burning. It smelled like a wood stove, only there wasn't a wood stove. I went and told the adults, but since I was no more than ten and no one else could smell anything, my concerns were dismissed. After a few more minutes of smelling what was definitively wood smoke, I went to tell them again. I didn't let them dismiss my concerns this time.
They still couldn't smell what I could smell. I led them to where I could smell it the strongest. This was the room we call the 'Den'. They couldn't smell it there either. Boy was I getting aggravated.
Someone, I don't remember who, finally found the source. Outside the door of the den, which leads to the outside, the outside light had fallen over and was burning a hole into the wood on the house. Luckily, there wasn't any major damage, but I attribute that to early detection. All that needed to be replaced was the light and the wood that had been burning. If it wasn't for my nose, it could have been a lot worse. I am also thankful that my concerns were listened to.
Now, only if my nose could always be a good thing. There are many smells that I can not tolerate. Flowery fragrances are horrible. It may seem strange, but the smell of skunk doesn't bother me. The smell of microwave popcorn...can't tolerate that one either. I wish I knew why my nose likes certain smells and detests others. I also wish I knew what the average sniffer was like.
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