Evidential Aroma

Photo of our group by Joe Ruffulo, fellow standing in front of me in the center of the picture. Camera was on automatic timer yah know. In the back row, the first three people to the left Vici Ruffulo (Joe's wife), Clare Benavides and me where we stood when we smelled the pipe tabaco coming down the stairs. Others in the picture, to my right Rob Wlodarski and next to him is Marcus Lindsey, then Eric Johnson and Mike Dumhart. In front of us is our host Barbara Tejada.

We stood on the bottom part of the stair case.  Vici, Clare and I, waiting for the rest of the group to form up for a group picture.  It was a Saturday afternoon, where the largest winter storm in three years to hit the Southern California area was causing havoc.  It is said, that stormy weather increases spirit activity and this afternoon we were all together to investigate a house a few of us had been to before.  A house, well known to movie fans going back 60 years or more.  Beloved actors and, a great director and, one of the funniest movies which has stood the test of time.  Not only was the house part of this movie but, it served as the home for a real family after the movie had long been completed and released to the general public.  Today it serves as administrative head quarters for a great wilderness park.

While the three of us stood there the others were moving about, fiddling with equipment and getting things sorted.

As I stood there with both Clare and Vici, the three of us were suddenly engulfed in the aroma of pipe smoke. It had a distinctive aromatic scent to it.  Unmistakable it was and, we told the others.   They came over to the stairs. Eric commented on and agreed he could smell it.  So did the others.  It was a smell that clearly had not been present when we entered the house.  Furthermore, those of us who had been there before had not experienced this smell in this house.