It may well only be a question that is a dilemma to those of us with English embarrassment genes, but I’ll be interested in all points of view.
What does one do when someone smells?
I had a long boring day at a conference in a hot dusty room with the only motivation a scrummy all you can eat carvery luncheon. Kept me going anyhow. We queued up for the delicious feast and sat down politely at a table in the restaurant talking shop as you do at these things, mixing up with others from the group who I hadn’t yet spoken with, a bit of social networking if you like.
Along comes the ‘waiter’ asking for drink orders, all promptly given, no alcohol allowed as it is these days. The five at my table held a pregnant pause until he left and then went collectively….”Urgh, how disgusting!”
“What?” I quizzed. “Couldn’t you smell him?” they all said?
Well, fortunately, I have bad hearing, a poor nose and long eyesight, but collectively, my senses gave me nothing.
Back he came, a young lad, late teens, long wavy hair as they all have, clean shirt and neatly pressed trousers, with the drinks. All my colleagues said nothing and acting beautifully politely and thanked him. The meal continued, with the ‘waiter coming back and forth to all the tables in our group, including serving a wonderful ice cream dessert, where the young lad was a major point of conversation until one of my colleagues said,
“Righto, if you won’t, I will!”
He then promptly asked the very same waiter to request that his supervisor come over and speak with him. She did, my colleague told him in no uncertain terms that her staff member stank and it had ruined his meal, and then asked that he not serve us again.
Poor love, she was only 19 herself, she didn’t know what to do apart from apologise and scuttle off to the kitchen. The young lad never came back.
Just as well it was a corporate bill or my colleague would have demanded a refund!
Now, I freely admit to being totally English and get highly embarrassed at such matters, especially in restaurants. Several early memories of it from my dear father, who was always right to complain when he did I’m sure, but I couldn’t handle it then, and I can’t know! I’d rather disappear quietly!
How about you, fellow charioteers? Is it a quandary elsewhere in the world? Is B.O. one of the last social taboos?
Boadicea's Chariot 
Well cuprum,
I would have to mention it very early on in that situation.
I expect a certain standard of hygeine from a food establishment, and someone who smells rancid does not paint a very good picture.
I gave up not complaining some years ago. (I did not give up good manners, mind.) i would have said something early doors too.
The supervisor, or her superior, should have checked the staff’s appearance before the meal began. Then she would have noticed the problem. When I worked as a waitress in my student days the hotel manageress inspected us all and would have had no hesitation in commenting on overpowering BO. Sounds as if the lad may have been trying to juggle two or more part-time jobs with no time for washing in between.
He did look smart, hair aside. I felt for him as he certainly worked hard. Would one, I wonder, say the same to a friend? Halitosis is an equally unpleasant social dilemma!
His poor supervisor had no idea what to do bless her. When I was a waiter I lived in fear of my head honcho! What surprised me was that it was only early lunchtime and most teens seem to cover themselves in the modern day Brut fragrance anyway!
I am afraid I would have complained as well.
Trouble is the so called managers/supervisors have no experience either.
If I get the time I will recite my problems with my bank last week.
Rick, a nasty smell at the bank? All that filthy lucre maybe? š
Hmm! This article certainly puts that birthday card in context. š„
In the old days (pre PC) the lad would have been pulled up and told to sort it. But now he would rush off to a human rights shark and say that it is a natural condition that he has tried to deal with but to no avail. The shark would then say it was a disability and sue the pants of the restaurant
I think we would all appreciate a best friend who would on no uncertain terms tell us if we smelled. The soap and deoderant manufacturers must love our uncertainty. The vast majority of us probably err on the safe side and sanitise ourselves far too much.
Paradoxically, or maybe not from the manufacturer’s point of view, cleaning your body too much can actually make you smellier faster, as it upsets the skin-fauna equilibrium. You want to keep the non-smelly bacteria there to see off the smelly type. A daily (or even twice-weekly) quick wash with no soap, and no deoderant, is probably enough for most people, along with an honest friend to tell you if it isn’t.