Memory Triggers

A long time ago in school I was told that out of all your senses, scent is the most powerful memory trigger. I have never agreed with this, personally. For me it's always been sound. But, there is one smell that makes me flash back to my childhood--the smell of diesel. I always say, "It smells like ice fishing."

When a truck cruises by me emitting those toxic fumes, I remember that time when I was 7 years old, and my dad took me on the lake in the brisk winter weather. I was walking down the line of fishing holes to grab some bait in a metal bucket, and on my way back I stepped in a hole. I screamed as my left leg plunged into the freezing water. To this day I swear a fish bit my boot!

When my dad pulled me out I was crying, and he was laughing. My polka dot pants were frosting over, so Dad sat me in the truck while he packed his fishing gear up.

I think the diesel smell reminds me of the big heaters that were in the ice shanty; they must have been gas powered--do those even exist?

The sound that triggers my memory the most often is that low grumbling of an airplane. Even in winter, when a plane flies over me, it's instantly August. I'm wearing a purple Looney Tunes T-shirt, jean shorts, clear Jelly shoes and my hair is in a pony tail. I'm standing in the narrow yard between my grandparent's house and their neighbor's. I'm next to the "edible" flowers--the orange and black tiger lillies. My cousin Justin runs past me. We're pretending we're Mario and Luigi. Suddenly I remember that grass is lava, and I need to move quickly! I make a run for the picnic table. Safe.