The delicately sweet aroma of citrus blossoms brought back a powerful sensation as I stepped outside of my Arizona home this April Fools’ Day.

It was the scent I’d first experienced on this exact date: April 1, 1978.

I had taken a late evening flight from my Odessa, Texas home to Phoenix the night before, following a quick trip to a department store to buy a proper suit for an interview that had come a year sooner than my intentions.

On the morning of April 1, I stepped out into the bright Arizona sun.

The unfamiliar scent permeated the air. It wasn’t harsh or cloying, more like a softly perfumed pillow around me. I thought I had landed in some sort of paradise.

Little did I know my life would take a pivotal turn, which I have ever since associated with the aroma of citrus blossoms.

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