The Nose Knows

On a recent investigation, I sat in a dark, empty bedroom with two other people. Partway through our EVP session, a woman asked for a sign that a beloved family member was present. Moments later, I became overwhelmed by a strong scent of perfume that suddenly engulfed me. We’re not talking a light or faint scent….this was very strong and powerful, as if someone had just spritzed it on themselves right in front of me. It was so strong, it stung my eyes and gave me a headache. I have experienced a variety of smells on investigations, but they are typically faint and short-lived. Not this one. This one came on powerful and stayed powerful. Instead of dissipating, the scent remained strong and steady for a good 15 minutes or so. I found it odd that my nose didn’t “adjust” as noses typically do after they get used to a smell. It stayed at full strength right next to me the entire time I was in that room.

 Once the lights were turned back on, I took a visual inventory of the room. There was nothing present that would cause a perfume or floral smell. As awkward as it was, I even sniffed the other two people in the room with me to make sure it wasn’t something they were wearing. There simply was no explanation for the sudden, strong, and steady smell.

 Or maybe there was. I learned that the female spirit the woman was trying to contact had loved to wear perfume. Because they did not have much money, she would buy the big bottle of “toilet water” as she referred to it, turning the bottle upside down to shake some down her dress. Had she decided to get my attention through smell rather than sights or sounds? Was she trying desperately to communicate her presence – her sign – that she was there wearing her favorite old perfume?

 The experience really had an effect on me. I believe, for those 15 minutes, I was in the presence of a woman desperately trying to communicate that though her physical body was gone, she was still very much with us. Instead of words or images, she communicated by sharing her favorite scent with me.


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