A young girl had what they call and "episode" in my class today. Or what I like to call an "eppy". When I was in high school we called them "Andrew Tarr."

When I asked her to come up to the board she started backing away and flapping her hands. I thought she was special needs or had personal space issues (which in this sardine-can of a country I can understand) because she kept freaking out when I came near. It turns out that she does indeed have issues, but one of them seems to be my "perfume."

Basically - I smell bad.

I, of course, smell like a fresh summer's day and Old Spice's best, but this apparantly is abhorrent to this small girl's dog-like nose..... (and maybe it is: having smelled some of the other teachers here maybe my smell is the exact opposite of what they're used to....pheewww). She's a bit of a nut apparantly. Last year she leapt at a trainee-teacher's throat. She's a bit of a loneras well; doesn't really have any friends and prefers to sit on her own reading. Hates the whole group thing (she really is buggered in Japan). Her grades are great though - I looked back to see what I've given her and she's one of the best in the class. My teacher's advice was "she is very strange. Keep away."

I asked him after the lesson if I do indeed smell and bless him if he didn't stick his nose in my armpit, inhale deeply, and say in a sweet comforting voice "Jeeeeeezus Chrrrrist!"