Somethin's rotten in Marin City.

After my previous morbid post, you probably think I'm speaking figuratively, but I'm not. This time, I'm being literal.

I've scrubbed my bathroom, where I first noticed a rancid smell -- think dead rat, dead cat, dead neighbor. Then I smelled it in the kitchen, so I scrubbed under my sink (ew!), re-garburated the garburator, loaded all my dishes up and ran them in the dishwasher. I picked up anything on the living room floor, I lit candles in the living room and kitchen, I sprayed a little Pledge on the bookshelf. (Well, really, just one shelf -- there's obviously nothing dead up there, so why go to the trouble? I just needed to spray something clean-smelling.)

But that rotten smell's not going away.

On my way up from my fifth trip to the laundry room (I know now it's not my stinky laundry) I got a clue. New guy coming out of the apartment under mine.

"Hey! Are you one of my neighbors?" I say.

"Uh, no," he says, holding a plastic bag behind his back. "No, I'm just living here for a little while."

Thought nothing of it at that point, said, "Well, hey, I'm your neighbor upstairs," and walked on up.

Now I'm suspicious, though.

Maybe HE'S here to dispose of the dead body.

If it's still smelly tomorrow, watch out -- I'm all over it, fella.