Old people smell

I'm getting there myself, so this is in no way a slam against "old people". Rather, it is a look at what reality brings to the table when we are dealing with a situation that is both difficult but necessary, but which also has moments of humor that are quite unexpected.

While sorting out things at Daddy's house as we prepare it to sell for his care in the Senior Care Center, I came across a host of office supplies and paper that I felt Xan, as a qualified teacher, would best be able to use. Paper clips, pens, pencils, copy paper, post it notes... virtually everything a classroom teacher spends personal money to purchase that the school does not provide.

I boxed up a great deal and she gathered up the rest.

Today, she told me she had to make copies and while the Xerox process was underway, she noticed a strange smell as the machine heated up and spit out the paperwork. She was using some of the copy paper from the reams she had gathered from Daddy's house.

It was that undeniable "old people smell" that just seems to permeate the home of people of a certain age. I'm not exactly sure where it comes from, what causes it, or how to rid objects of it, but sooner or later, we will ALL have that old people smell.

As she was relating this to me, I could envision a grayish, greenish cloud of dubious aroma emanating from the Xerox machine. It was scented with a combination of heated papery musty, mothball-y, mildew spore coated oldness.

Picturing this, I was laughing my head off and so was she.

We kept laughing as I attempted to squeak out "So, what did you do with the copies?", amidst guffaws.

Deadpan as she could manage, Xan said "I passed those suckers out in class!"

I looked at her unsure if she was serious, then realized she absolutely was serious. After all, free supplies or not, one does NOT waste paper, no matter what!!

Hilarity reigned and we had tears rolling down our faces as we gasped for air, snickered, snorted and giggled while slipping high fives to each other and making all sorts of unladylike noises.

I hope those kids who received those Xeroxed papers got a faint whiff of Grandma or Great Grandpa as they did their work.

It is a good reminder that one day, they too will be "old people" and they in due time will smell less like Axe Body Spray and more like an old rotten log. Less like Chanel and more like English Channel. Less Old Spice and more just plain old.

Draw in a big breath, kiddies! It builds character.