©2008 Dave Knechel

Because I have type 2 diabetes, I carry a blood glucose test kit with me, usually in the front left pocket of my pants. It has a couple of outside pouches, one with a zipper, that I can put a few things in, like lancets. That way, I can easily replace dull ones with new ones that don’t sting as much when I pierce my fingers. I used to carry other things, too, but not anymore. Once in a while, the zipper has opened up and I’ve found loose lancets at the bottom of my pocket. Fortunately, they’re covered, so I don’t have to worry about poking myself.

I generally do my laundry on Sundays. That way, I’m not burdened with having to do it during the week when I have work and other responsibilities going on. For as long as I can remember, I’ve done my own washing, drying and folding, even when mixing the laundry with someone else’s. Call it a quirk, but I have a particular way of folding my clothes and no one can do it the way I like it done. Just let me do it myself, thank you.

On the Sunday before last, I did my laundry. Meticulously, I folded each item as I pulled it out of the dryer and put it on the appropriate pile. One is for shirts, one is for pants, and the other is for socks and underwear, not that I feel like being too personal, but I told you I’m funny about my wash. As I pulled out a pair of blue jeans, I smelled something. Oh well, I shrugged, I haven’t been around fish and maybe it’s just my imagination.

On Monday morning, I got myself ready to go out. I put on that pair of jeans and started to transfer everything I carry with me into the pockets. I kept getting the scent of fish, like I had just gotten off a deep sea fishing boat. What is this, I thought. Nah, can’t be. As I put something in the front left pocket, I felt that one of the corners was hard and crusty. Huh? I pulled it inside out, really gave it a good feel and sniffed it. It smelled like fish. I couldn’t figure out why, but I certainly didn’t wear that pair of pants that day. Instead, I got the Mr. Clean out from under the kitchen sink and soaked the pocket. Some of my shirts mysteriously had oil splotches on them. I soaked them as well. All week long, I couldn’t figure out what caused that smell and it really perplexed me. I didn’t put a piece of fish in there. Nope. As a matter of fact, I don’t think I ate any fish or seafood at all the previous week. Oh well.

This past Sunday, I did my wash, paying particular attention to how that pair of jeans and the other clothes I soaked came out. Sometimes, I throw a little dish detergent in with the laundry soap because it helps eliminate grease stains. Everything came out clean, but the intense smell of fish was still lingering in my mind. Where could that smell have come from? Finally, it dawned on me.

Remember, I said I have those little pouches on my glucose tester? I used to carry spare vitamins and supplements, in case I happened to go out for dinner that evening without stopping at home first. I forgot all about them. Just like sometimes finding loose lancets, and I always check my pockets, one of those supplements must have slipped out. Too bad I didn’t find that softgel filled with 2400mg of fish oil concentrate. Good thing I made the right decision not to wear those pants, though. Besides everyone asking, “Dave, why do you smell like you just got off a fishing boat?“, I probably would have been fighting off cats and flies all day.

People have searched for ways to remove oil stains from their clothes. Here is what I do:

Sometimes I see oil blotches on cotton shirts as I remove them from the dryer. I take dish detergent, like Dawn or Joy, and soak it into the stains. After rubbing a little, just to make sure it sinks in, I let the shirts sit until the following week, when I do my laundry again. The stains are always gone the next time I take them out of the dryer.

©2008 Dave Knechel