Sense Memory

During the first two and a half years of my life, my parents and I lived with my grandfather in St. John's, Newfoundland. I have some great memories from that time. One involves playing with my grandfather when he came home from work in the morning after a night shift. I climbed over him, laughed to tickles and jumped on the bed. I loved that time and so did he. The most vivid memory however happened when I was alone in my bedroom.

My grandfather's house had four bedrooms and a huge bathroom on the second floor. My bedroom was in the middle of the second floor, opposite the stairs. It was a narrow room and my crib was at the back near the window. There was a chest of drawers near the crib. I can still picture that room.

I had a cold and was very congested. My mother put a mentholated rub on my chest. (Claire uses the same rub today with Sylvie and Caitlin when they have colds.) When she was finished, Mom put the container on top of the chest of drawers and tucked me in my crib. Curious I guess and able to reach it, I grabbed the jar and opened it somehow. I proceeded to rub it in my eyes, hair, nose and mouth. I distinctly remember the burning sensation, the smell and taste of that stuff. Screaming ensued. Mom cleaned me up but it took some time for the burning in my eyes to stop. Mom swore that I wasn't congested the next morning.

Even today, the smell of that rub brings me back to that night in the crib on Old Topsail Road.