Scent of a Woman…or was it a man?

I was at the grocery store shopping today when I suddenly found myself choking on someone’s overwhelming cologne or perfume.  I couldn’t pin point who it was, but I ran into the scent several times during this particular shopping excursion, and after a few unexpected inhalations, I actually found it difficult to breathe.

Why do people douse themselves in perfume and cologne?  Do you have no respect for the people around you? I’m sure the cologne smells lovely, but please, everything in moderation.  What good is that expensive scent if everyone around you is choking and/or holding their noses?

In addition to that, I felt my asthma start to kick in from in.  Thanks a lot, stinky!

I used to wear body fragrance and/or perfume, but once DS2 was diagnosed with asthma, I stopped wearing fragrances that might bother his breathing.  It upsets me that people don’t show some consideration for other people who may have breathing problems, not to mention the smell was just downright offensive.

I have the same beef with smokers.  My husband is a smoker, and I’m not about telling people how to live and what to do with their own bodies, but when you’re puffing near the entrance of a building or out in the parking lot, try and have some consideration for the people around you.  I don’t mean people who just don’t like cigarettes and the smell, but the children with asthma who take a deep breath as you pass by and suddenly have an attack.

Poison your lungs all you want, but have some consideration for others.

I should make a quick note here. My husband doesn’t smoke around our kids or me.  He is very considerate and stays far away from us.  However, he has his moments when he comes in stinking of smoke, and that alone makes me start coughing.  He says he wants to quit, but he’s been saying it for years.  For the sake of the health of our entire family, he needs to quit and he knows it.  It’s just a matter of taking control and doing it.  He will need my help to do this.

But the fact is that my husband tries his hardest to make sure that his smoke doesn’t offend anyone else.  And there are people who just don’t give a damn about anyone else.  Am I alone when I say that I sometimes just want to kick people who act like that?  I’m not telling you that you can’t smoke.  I’m just asking you to please have some consideration for the health of others, especially children with asthmatic conditions.

I’ll bet that the person doused in cologne at the grocery store today is a smoker who was trying to cover up the disgusting cigarette smell.  Jerk.

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