September 16

Unsung American heroes Noah and Joseph McVicker received patent #3,167,440 for an invention that would bring joy and hours of fun to perhaps millions of children of all ages. On the 16th in 1956, their invention was delivered to an anxiously waiting world when Play-Doh ® made its entrance to a world yearning for a delightful diversion. America immediately took Play-Doh to its heart. In honor of the 50th anniversary of Play-Doh’s introduction, this year (2006) the Demeter Fragrance Library released a fragrance that smells just like Play-Doh. If this had been introduced several years ago Hasbro, the distributor of the modeling clay, might not have had to go court to get an order of protection barring me from coming within 100 yards of a Play-Doh display because once in its vicinity I was compelled to take the tops off the cans and inhale the distinctive Play-Doh smell. However, this new fragrance seems to take all the fun out of sneaking into the crafts section of a Toy-R-Us and “browsing” through the Play-Doh items. My hope is that the company marketing the fragrance doesn’t go belly-up before I have an opportunity to lay in an adequate supply of their fragrance.