Bath Time

A&D Ointment has a particular smell. Prior to a month and a half ago, I had associated with infants. Primarily because of my sister, Tintin.

When she was an infant I was nearly six. So I spent a lot of time ‘holding’ baby related items. ‘Robert, can you hold the A&D for mommy?’, or ‘Robert, can you hold the diaper bag?’ or 'Robert, hold this poopy diaper'… you get the idea. [ed. note: I was ‘Robert’ until I was in seventh grade and I have no idea why. I don't recall being an uptight kid.]

But now, it reminds me of The Squeaker’s bath time.

I was at the grocery store this afternoon stocking up the ol’ pantry (in true Colorado springtime fashion, we’re expecting 6-12” of snow overnight) and I happened to pass by the A&D Ointment aisle and caught the faintest whiff of the bronze soother.

Even in outer space, a hermetically sealed tube of A&D would give off an odor.

Wierd things happened when that olfactory sensation reached my brain; in my head I was transported to the kitchen sink where I was drying off a wet The Squeaker. I could feel her soft skin under the bath towel while her little fingers reached out to me. And simultaneously, my heart swelled with pride and love at the thought of her.

Finally the stock boy bumped me with his broom, thus ending my out-of-body experience. Which is just as well, I had a long string of drool dribbling from my lower lip.

Who knew parenthood would be such a trip?