Food Court: Got A Smoke

There was an unpleasant, musky odor in the air at lunch --the vintage stink of an unwashed crotch. From the smell of it, I'd guess somebody had gone the better part of a month without once hosing off their junk or changing the bandage.

For a minute, I tried to pin it on the food --a taco casserole of some kind made with beans, tomato sauce and a little bit of meat (I had two scoops, but no corn chips) --but it seemed kind of doubtful.

I scanned the room trying to locate the likely culprit. The crowd today was small --maybe half the people who are usually there and only a few of those I'd recognize as regulars.

Of course, government checks had kicked in over the last couple of days. Not everybody needed the free lunch. Some of them had taken their checks or their government debit cards to the store. They were loaded up --at least for now. Maybe. Not that I really know. I'm still not talking to anybody. It could have also been the stench.

The smell was strong and a little sickening. Looking about, it could have been anybody (except me) and it made me wish I'd never given up smoking. I never used to smell things like that. I never used to have to smell anything, really.

A Camel right now would sure help.