It is said that the sense of smell holds the closest link to our memories. Smell more than any other sense, has the capability to bring us out of the present and into our memories of the past. I can't personally say that this works, but most people will tell you that it seems to be true. Maybe it's because I grew up on a farm and learned early on to ignore the many odors wafting about. It does happen though, when I let down my unconscious guard on my nasal passages, or when I come across something with a particularly powerful scent. For one example, today I came across something that smelled like the Hudson River in Manhattan and for several quick moments I almost thought I had dreamed the last two years and was actually taking a nap while on a job with my metal fabrication friends. Thankfully this wasn't the case and I was able to get back to reality in the woodlands of New Hampshire, a happier place for me by far than the big city.
It wasn't long after that odd experience, when I turned on the portable air compressor we had at our job site. The instant it kicked on, the sound sent me on another trip, careening through time to land in the milk house on the farm where I grew up. It was incredible, the flood of unbidden memories. I could see the milk tanks and sinks and hear the cows lowing in the main barn as my father pushed through the door to begin the evening's work. A much better memory to be lost in than the the waterfront at Chelsea Piers.
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