Memories Of My Uncle

I have been reading the stories on here and was reminded of an incident that occurred in the first house I lived in.

On one particular night there was a show called Ally McBeal, I don't know if anyone remembers it, but I loved watching it and winding down before I had a bath and went to bed. My young daughter was always in bed by then so it was my little bit of " me" time.

One night I was glued to the screen when I smelled something. It was familiar but I couldn't place it initially, so I turned back to the TV. Then it seemed to breeze past me, if that makes sense, like it blew in front of me. I raised my head, sniffing, it was so familiar, I knew that smell!

Then a thought struck me, I jumped up and ran to the kitchen to check everything was turned off. I knew I had already cleaned up and shut everything off in there but there was no harm in being sure! But no, nothing on, nothing burning, all was as I had left it. I ran back to the lounge hoping I hadn't missed anything on the show and sat back on the sofa.

A few minutes went by, and again, the smell came back, again it felt like it blew in front of my face. I sat there puzzled, then as usual on the break I went up to check on my sleeping daughter (yes I had a baby monitor but I always checked her myself periodically!)

It was then I realised the smell was only in the lounge area, not in the rest of the house. I sat down and concentrated, racking my brain to try and remember what it was I was smelling, then it hit me, it was St. Bruno pipe tobacco! I don't know if anyone knows the brand, it had a very distinctive smell. Anyway, now I knew what it was, I just had to figure out where it was coming from!

Ally McBeal was forgotten, I turned on the outside lights, checked through the window, there was no sign of anyone, and no one in the house smoked. Any visitors smoked outside but anyone I knew smoked cigarettes not a pipe. I hadn't smelled it in years though, and I had been alone in the house all day with my daughter. But I sprayed the room anyway. The show was over, I thought no more of it and I went off to bed.

The following week I settled down to watch and again the smell breezed in front of me, filling my nostrils. I sat there for a few moments thinking where is it coming from? And who do I know who smokes a pipe of all things?!

Then I remembered my favourite uncle, my uncle Fred, he had passed many years before when I was about 8, but when I was young he would always take time for me, tell me stories, play card games with endless patience, he habitually smoked a pipe and always used St. Bruno pipe tobacco. It was the aroma I always associated with him.

The smell never manifested at any other time, in any other room, only in the lounge during that show (it was the kind of show he would have liked!) I like to think it could have been uncle Fred, just hanging out with his favourite niece!