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Reflective writing

Complaint Box | Overperfumed

BY SARAH J. DREISINGER

DECEMBER 5, 2011
COMPLAINT BOX
What Annoys You?

As any New Yorker can attest, our city is permeated by smells: curbside garbage,
street carts selling nuts or kabobs, impromptu barbecues, fresh marijuana and
the odoriferous mélange produced by the subway system, especially in the
summer.

Though they are not always pleasant, they are distinctly New York, and taking
them in makes me feel at home. I do not think I could handle a New York
emitting a floral or apple-cinnamon scent.

There are, however, some odors I do my best to avoid.

I have never liked perfume. Why would I want to smell of some manufactured
substance someone else has deemed desirable? I can tolerate whiffs from
friends and family members — I have become so acclimated to their scents that
my nose barely notices them — but the myriad fragrances filling the air in
elevators, meeting rooms and other public spaces are hard to take. Being
anywhere near a manufacturer’s idea of gardenia or lilac leaves me wearing that
scent. Even worse: the combinations enabled when Warm Summer Breeze and
Vanilla Bean are sitting next to each other.

Perfume not only gives me headaches and nausea, it invades my nostrils and
lingers as I step outside, interfering with the city’s seasonal scents. I do not
know if perfume has a harmful effect on our already environmentally challenged
air, but judging from a recent Web search, others have found it a topic worth
exploring.

My biggest gripe is using perfume to cover up the smell of cigarette smoke or

soiled clothing. Instead of eliminating the noxious stench, what is created is a
ghastly blend of ash and Midnight Rain. I would go so far as to say that I would
prefer body odor, even that of someone who has not showered recently, over
particular scents. At least body odor does not spread.

Perfumes have become such a trend that many celebrities have their own
products. What do Michael Jordan and Sarah Jessica Parker smell like? And
why should we aspire to smell the same?

Fragrances have become a part of every man and woman’s vanity cabinet — a
status symbol and representation of personality. Can aroma really indicate
character? I doubt it. That would be common sense, not scents.

Sarah J. Dreisinger is an associate with a Manhattan law firm and lives on the Upper
West Side.

If you wish to submit a Complaint Box essay, please send it as an attachment and in
the body of the e-mail to complaintbox@nytimes.com, along with your name,
address, phone number and e-mail. In the subject line of the e-mail, type your last
name, followed by “Complaint Box” and the subject of your complaint. Essays can be
100 to 500 words. Because we receive so many submissions, we can get back only to
those whose complaints are being considered for publication. If you do not hear from
us, thank you anyway, and feel free to submit it elsewhere.
Please note: Complaint Box is not the forum for your complaints about
City Room or The Times. It is for essays on the general hassles of life, like the one
above. If you have an issue with City Room, e-mail cityroom@nytimes.com. For
issues with The Times, click here for customer service.

a) What makes “Overperfumed” a piece of reflective writing?

b) Which words and phrases associated with smells has the writer used? What nuances
of meaning are created by these lexical choices?

Task
Write your own contribution to the The Complaint Box.