Yesterday my sense of smell was working on an overdrive. Usually, we’re not conscious of our senses. We just take them for granted, especially the sense of smell, unless something very pleasant or unpleasant is in the wind. But for me, yesterday was a day of smells. While I was walking towards the main road I smelled wet dog poop. Good thing the odor was somewhat muted. I always pass that way and there are always dog poop around but I was more conscious of the smell yesterday. Then when the jeepney I was riding passed by the slum area I could smell “tuyo” or dried fish being fried. I could hear my stomach grumble. Others, especially foreigners, don’t like the smell of “tuyo” but Filipinos usually love it. It’s a cultural thing, I guess. After the tuyo, when we passed along the river, I again smelled viand and dessert. I forgot what kind but I was surprised that I could smell them so well. I was thinking that somebody in one of the houses near the river was in a cooking frenzy when I suddenly realized that the man beside me had a lot of styrofoam containers and these contained food. He was with the woman across from him and I think they were going to deliver food to some clients.
On my way home, I decided to attend mass because it was first Friday. My brother and I kept missing each other’s calls so when he called while I was in church and the mass starting, I dropped his call and texted him that I will call him after the mass. Just as I was returning my mobile phone inside my bag I smelled the faux Isimiake scent he favoured. I got a little nervous because of superstition. What an irony! Professing my faith but being rattle by superstition. Not good. Anyway, I tried to get over it. When I got out of the church after the mass, it was drizzling and the air was heavy. Unfortunately, a damp smell on someone is not quite pleasant. There was this man who boarded the jeepney and was seated beside me who smelled of damp body odor. It was not that sharp or too unpleasant but I was quite mystified because I usually associated that kind of body odor with a woman. I even thought that it was I who smelled like that but when I tried to smell myself, I knew it was not me. Moreover, I can smell the odor if I turn to his direction. When I got off the jeepney, I again sniffed at myself just to make sure. It was definitely not me. Walking home, I passed by something with the odor of a wet cat then the delicious smell of barbecue when I passed by a barbecue stand.
Some of these things I smell on a daily basis but I don’t why I was more conscious of them yesterday. I guess some days are just like that.
