HALIFAX — Local mother of three Sandy Berman had local authorities baffled last week when she stopped to smell a bar of lavender soap at a farmers’ market for over 36 consecutive hours.
Witnesses report that while other customers maneuvered around her, Berman remained perfectly still with her eyes closed, inhaling deeply through her nostrils and letting out loud sighs.
Store owner Rita Wilmore said she became concerned when she returned to her booth the next day and Berman was still there.
“She was just standing there smelling that soap and muttering ‘Matthew McConnaughey’ every now and then.” said Wilmore. “That’s when I decided to call for help.”
Wilmore explained that the crisis intervention team arrived shortly thereafter with special gear in tow for scenarios of this nature.
“They had this claw-arm thing that they used to slowly pull the soap out of her hand. Then they quickly swapped it for a small brick. Her eyes snapped open just like that!” said Wilmore.
When questioned, Berman said she had only come to the market to buy a single onion for a macaroni casserole, but took one whiff of the soap and was immediately transported to the fields of Provence, where she had been an au pair as a young woman.
“I spent three months there. Studied French.” Berman said while looking off into the distance. “There was a man. A young man. Jean-Luc… But I should get home to my family. The macaroni casserole is probably burnt to heck by now,” she concluded shaking her head as if to wake herself from a dream.
Berman says she doesn’t remember any details of the day-and-a-half ordeal, but she remembers feeling “very relaxed”.
