Smells-Like-Bum

Jim said I really shouldn't use the metaphor "smells like bum" out of context, without explaining it (otherwise it sounds like 'too much information').

My friends Karen and Bill live in Lotus Land, but both grew up in Saskatchewan. Bill is one of those engineers who works 60 hours a week just to keep on top of his projects. One time a few years ago, Karen was able to come home for a holiday but Bill had to stay and work. A few days into the holiday, Karen talked to Bill on the phone and asked him how it was going. He was sad that he wasn't able to come and have fun, and he was overloaded with work. How he expressed that was by saying, "This place smells like bum."

I love that story. A charming, competent, grown man making a comment like that just cracks me right up.