Igor Kovalchuk
The question
I'm hosting a party for a group of volunteers I'm involved with. Two are smokers and their clothing reeks of smoke. I'm allergic and I'm worried they'll be puffing on the deck. Should I light every candle I own to absorb the odour?
The answer
The volunteer group you're involved with isn't by any chance the American Association for Nude Recreation (Western Canadian Division), is it? Because that would be perfect! (But do keep hot soups and raw chili peppers off the menu, and please ensure that everybody has a towel to sit on.) Otherwise, good luck to you. You can't tell somebody their clothes stink unless they're very close friends or blood relatives (or the title of their debut album was Nickelback: Curb). Your options are: 1. Have someone else host the party and don't go. 2. Hide a couple of cartons of Belmont Milds well out of town, then "accidentally" e-mail the treasure map to Smoky Joe 30 minutes before your party. 3. Suck it up, Sniffles. (I strongly recommend option 3.) And you better hope that none of your guests are allergic to candle smoke.
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