The Smell is in the Nose of the Beholder.
It's funny how deeply rooted a scent can be in the developing psyche of a child. I never realized just how strong that early association is between scent and emotion, until a special day a few years ago.
My youngest daughter had, at 10, gone to stay with her 22-year-old sister and her husband while my wife and I sorted out some external issues (her addiction and affairs cost me more than I can express, but that is a different, and much longer story).
My little girl was gone for almost two years before my wife and I separated. I missed both my girls so much that I traveled from Washington state across the country to Ohio, to stay with them while I rebuilt my life. It was a 3 day journey on a train, in coach. When I arrived, I was tired, and in dire need of a shower.
I walked in the house, and my youngest ran and jumped into my arms, and yelled "Daddy!" as she planted kisses on my stubbly cheeks and hugged me tight. She pulled back, looked me in the eye and said, "You smell like coming home!"
I'm still not sure which emotion was stronger, "Aww" or "Eww." I only know that I have never gotten a better hug from a 12-year-old in my life.