Well, last night we had a wonderful dinner at the Gala Ball. Three generous courses interspersed with entertainment, much wine and beer that made for a good night to be had by all.

This morning we slept late and made our way downstairs for a leisurely breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant. The cooked fair is always a good bet and savouring the taste and smell of the cooked bacon and delicate scrambled eggs is a wonderful thing if you are feeling somewhat seedy. I truly pity those who have lost their sense of smell as a good deal of the flavour of food is tied up with the volatile chemicals that enable you to appreciate the deliciousness of having your olfactory organs stimulated.

All was well in my little world until a family of four came into the restaurant.

The waitress showed the family past our table and on further into the restaurant. Nothing untoward with this? No, except for the fact that the Mother of the family must have marinated herself in a perfume that was quite poisonous. Seemingly oblivious, it trailed behind her like a cloud of radioactive fallout. Does your family not notice either?

It is 8:30 am, why do you need to smell of something so strong that it overpowers the taste of everyone’s breakfast? The stench lingered for a good five minutes in the air around me. I was grateful that she wasn’t sat at the next table as the poor unfortunates in such a position would have struggled to taste anything other than this woman’s perfume. Why? Do you really need to make yourself stink that much, to the extent that it is offensive to others around you? Is it the smell, or the burning of my eyes? Even my coffee tasted of that artificial pong.

I know that if you wear perfume regularly that your nose becomes accustomed to the smell and you don’t notice it so much. But please, this is a case of less, or better yet, none is more. If you are going out to eat, remember that not everyone likes that strong, cloying aroma of someone elses perfume (or aftershave for that matter). I want to taste my bacon and scrambled eggs or pancakes with maple syrup cleanly. Go use soap if you think you may be stinky. Eat outside near the smokers, they won’t notice, but please, don’t spoil my pleasure, it’s inconsiderate and somewhat rude and I will hate you for it.

Don’t get me started on confined spaces like elevators either…

Sheesh.

kind regards,

J