THE  POWER  OF  SMELLS

(This was one of my true stories that was published in Creative Expressions for 2013.)

As I sit on my porch at Carroll Lutheran Village, enjoying the marvelous aromas of Spring, I am reminded of their power.

Once, when I worked for the Government, our organization had a problem. We were automating manual operations, and computer testing was generating enormous stacks of paper with no place to put it.

A deal was made with a company that had a supply of massive cardboard boxes, formerly used to hold spices in a Baltimore factory. The boxes were brought into our offices and all testing output was to be placed in them.

This procedure worked very well except for one thing - the smells. These containers stank!

Workers whose offices got containers used for spices like cinnamon, dill weed, celery, or vanilla were very happy. Workers whose offices received containers used for garlic were not happy at all.

Upper management refused to change the garlic containers to something less pungent, so the workers decided that drastic action was necessary.

Appropriate signs were made, pictures were taken and sent to local television stations; workers brought in and wore gas masks from World War II, clothes pins for noses were handed out to passers-by.

Finally upper management got the message and new containers were delivered. These containers had floral fragrances such as rose and lavender.  Workers were happy once more and computer testing resumed.

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