patrick.net

Started working with a new client at the beginning of July based in Newport Beach. They're a startup in the energy field, and I'm working with them as a consultant "business development" specialist, aka I am helping this company get in shape for a potential Series A funding round. A lot of work to be done, so I am at their office 1-2 times a week which isn't a bad drive up the PCH.

So my first day there, I walk into their "office" which is basically a two story condo with a huge loft upstairs with 3 computer workstations, and a bedroom that doubles as a storage room. Downstairs is a living room, dining room, kitchen combo, but setup more like a traditional office. One of the downstairs bedrooms is HR. So these guys are real boot strappers.

The owner says I can occupy one of the workstations upstairs, so I lug my laptop up there and sit down at one of the desk. It looked empty, and it was the only one where the chair was still pushed in, so I figured I could take it. I unpack my stuff and look around for someone who knows the wifi password. There's a guy on the phone standing up looking over the edge of the loft.

He's a pretty heavily built guy, pony tail, etc. I figure he is their IT guy, seems to fit the bill. He gets off the phone and sits down at the desk directly behind me. I tap his shoulder and ask "Hi I'm Goran, I'm the business consultant, I sort of need help getting onto the network."

He's a nice guy, shakes my hand. Ends up he is the lead IT guy (my spider sense is 100% accurate). He sets up my laptop, and I'm connected to the network. As I'm opening up my Gmail account, I begin to notice that there is an invasive odor coming into my nostrils. I take a whiff, and it definitely is someone's unwashed ass. You know the smell like when you go camping, and you haven't had a decent shower in 2-3 days, and no matter how much toilet paper you use, the smell is still there? It was THAT smell.

So I look around, and the only people in the loft are me, and the big IT guy. So just to make sure I'm not going crazy, I ask him "Hey you smell that?"

IT Guy: "Smell what?"

Me: "Smells like someone forgot to wipe hahaha..."

IT Guy: "Oh hahaha. Well you know this place hasn't had a decent vacuuming in a while. They should change the carpet, the building is old too."

Me: "Oh that's probably it. haha, sorry to bother you, it's just really strong."

IT Guy: "Oh I probably got used to it."

We both turn back around to get to work after a little more small chat. The thing is, I can't concentrate. The smell is so strong that I'm on the verge of gagging. I can feel the reflex coming. It would be okay if the smell disappeared after a while, but it was constant, and permeating. Nothing I did, cover my nose, or sit with my coffee next to my nose, nothing stopped it. It just ended up smelling like ass-coffee.

I finally had enough. I told the IT Guy I was going to work outside to get some sea breeze, and he nodded without looking back. So I take my laptop and go downstairs onto their patio. The sun is blinding, and I can barely see my screen so I put on my shades. This is how I literally work for 5 hours straight.

Eventually, the IT Guy comes to the patio and ask me if I need help setting up my company e-mail, I say "Sure." So he stands next to me, and starts tapping away and accessing my Outlook. Then it hits my nose again. Mind you we are now outside, and there is a breeze. That doesn't stop the ass smell, and I'm again fighting the gag reflex. When it's done, my face is literally red from trying to hold my breath and take only small sips of air before holding it again. He takes off and I'm just in pain, literal pain from trying to hold my breath so long.

The owner seems to notice, and comes onto the patio and ask me if I'm okay. I tell him that I'm okay, but the loft upstairs is too "hot" so it's hard for me to concentrate. He looks a little confused and ask if he can turn the thermostat down more, and says it's already at 68 degrees. At that point, I'm not sure what to say; he's right, it's not hot up there, it's actually a little chilly, enough that I can wear my long sleeve shirt without any discomfort.

But I'm not about to say "Umm, your IT guy needs to wipe his damn ass." I just started working with this client and I'm not going to cause an incident over someone's ass smell.

So for the next few weeks, I just wing it. Some days the IT Guy is off site or somewhere else, and I end up working up in the loft. When he is in there, I work downstairs on the patio, or sometimes in my car. Occasionally there is an empty desk downstairs and I work there. So far, no one has seemed to notice that I am avoiding IT ass-smell guy, but I'm not sure how long that will last.

So I'm at a cross roads. Part of me wants to just tell the guy he has a disgusting odor coming from his body. The other part is saying "Look, this is just a client, don't make a big deal, just keep desk hopping."

What would you guys do in this situation? All honesty and humor appreciated.