Name that scent

Oct 18, 2004

Today as Delegatrix and I went for lunch, we went through the stairwell connecting the office to the cafeteria and at the bottom landing the air was heavy with a magnificent perfume. It was the heady scent of what I thought I had purchased a few weeks ago, but alas, I only ended up with Eden, instead of this paradise. The magical smell pervaded the entire cafeteria, and throughout our lunch, I remarked that I had to discover the name of the scent so I could grab a bottle or 2 for myself. It was beginning to drive me crazy - what was that scent and who was wearing it? We scanned the room for the likely elegant woman who would wear this scent. BIG SURPRISE - No real candidates stood out.

Our luck changed as we were leaving the lunch room and passed close to what had to be the source of the heavenly scent. I debated with myself and Delegtrix whether to pursue the name of the olfactory obsession that had gripped me almost continually for last 45 minutes. Finally the urge to know its name overwhelmed any rational thoughts I might have had and I turned around and approached where I hoped my olfactory delight resided.

The source definitely was someone seated at one of two four top tables situated next to each other. So close to my precious- did I have the courage to approach complete strangers and ask about their fabulous perfume? Hopefully, the wearer would be flattered that someone went out of their way to find out the name of their perfume. So with that mind set, I approached the first table. The women were deep in conversation, so I had to interrupt and apologize for my intrusion. I explained that I had been overtaken by the wonderful scent one them were wearing, and I hoped they would share with me what it was.

To say they were perplexed was an understatement. No, none of them were even wearing perfume. And then it seems a light dawned and one of the women turned to the table next to them and pointed to a man in dreadlocks with a bull-like nose ring and announced that the scent I was seeking was GASP! emanating from him, a man! Swallowing a whole pound of irony and sarcasm, I queried him about my latest obsession, and it seems indeed, he owns a lot of different perfume oils and this morning he had been playing mix master. To add insult to injury, he couldn't even tell me what exactly he had mixed.

 

Arrgggghhh! Foiled by a man with a penchant for perfume - what is this world coming to?