Not glad to make that acquaintance

Yesterday at lunch I was introduced to the durian, or rather durian in candy form. Even with my relatively conservative food preferences (born out of the inability to tolerate spicy foods to any degree), I have to say that the durian is one food I don't think I'll ever really be able to eat.

Why? Because it reeks. We're not talking about unpleasant odors here. We're talking the kind of stuff that you can smell several tables over. I thought that somebody had released some hydrogen sulfide outside, it smelled so bad.

But that was not the worst moment of all. That came when I was invited to try a piece of durian. Everyone was claiming that the candy tasted better than it smelled--albeit only marginally. However, when I brought the bag close enough, I learned the ugly truth. What I had smelled heretofore of the durian was just a fraction of the mighty, awe-inspiring true reek of the durian. It was so overpowering that I thought I would never be able to smell anything again.

Fortunately, my exposure to the noxious odor was ephemerally short, and no lasting harm was received.

But it was definitely a close call.