Hi Betson,
although I had a few 2-part-retrievals I never had something like a call, as for you was the cigarette smell. To get a call, or to meet a retrievee you know and thought of s/he would have moved on to the right place, and find this person misplaced is indeed strengthening the credibility of retrievals (though I don't think for hardcore sceptics), it is, what Bruce also pointed at in his books, the element of the unexpected.

>>>the soul contacted by the spiritualist wouldn't know they were stuck and say everything was OK---?<<<
For one who never did a retrieval, one thing must seem odd. This is, when you find someone over there who is pretty integrated in his/her environment, what gives you the right to guide this person somewhere else, and how do you get your certainty from that it's the right thing you do? In my experience, during a retrieval I'm in a different state, it's a state of inherent knowing; that's what make me believe there are always beings there, helpers and or guides, even when I don't notice them, who put me in a state or situation where there is no doubt about my mission. After my first retrievals I was astaonished about my certainty during the process, unlike my way in the C1 life. It's a sort of semi-conscious background, a setup, where some sorts of pondering are phased out off my awareness. To finally give an example from the C1 world, if you see your child is in danger, you don't think about if it's really the case, if you should leave your child in this situation for learning purpose etc..., no, you simply act. This is to be IN a situation without thinking. I conclude, for people with very little trust in other people/entities, who have problems with the idea of guides whom they could trust, they will probably not have retrieval experiences, cause they won't let themselves put into this "no doubt I know what to do I'm guided"- state.
Looking again on the above quote, the retrievees who keep stating that everything is fine, after you tried to show them some oddities of their environment, or to tell them of a better place, I know no way to guide them elsewhere. It never happened to me. I had one who says to me that I'm just a figure of his dream, so I said "allright, if it's a dream there's nothing about it to come with me to a great place", you know this are tricks, but one who thinks this is the right place where s/he is, you can't retrieve. I remember Gordon Phinns "enjoy" book, where he described the deepest hardcore cases, you have to prove to them that you exist, and that's impossible. They don't believe anything, and that's quite a bad basis for constructive communication.

>>>If the spiritualist made contact and told the 'lost' person to come visit you, the retriever, that would save your energies for the send-off.<<<
That's a modern way of thinking Bets, we're a Politeia of specialists aren't we!

Interesting post Betson.
Spooky