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Smell Of Gardenia

I met D for the first time and he smelt faintly of gardenia. We are not close enough for me to know what it is called. The trajectory of smell tracked against relationships of significance has been rather unusual.

A smelt of a flower I did not recognize. We were both young then - in our early teens and gauche - it could well have been something from his mom's dresser. I am sure he smells very different now.

P smelt of himself mixed with a non-descript talc. He and I were just twenty then. I cannot associate his smell with anyone or anything else.

The smell of K changed over the years. The earliest olfactory memory is austere and soapy. He went on to more sophisticated smells over time until finally settling with Acqua Di Gio .

R smelt of Wild Rain when we first met. I fell in love with that smell as I did with him - both equally improbable. Wild Rain on a perfect stranger can still bring back memories and nostalgia though I don't love the smell anymore.

H burst into my life like a tropical storm smelling of Bvlgari Blue. Recovering from the aftermath of the relationship I had to stop my tears when I smelt his cologne in my car. It was a few weeks before it was all gone and the air smelt clean and only of itself.

I knew S for less than six months. My girl friends who knew told me he sounded like Mr Right Now in the wake of the destruction that H had left behind. That S would have served his purpose when my healing was over. They turned out right in their collective wisdom. He wore Freedom by Tommy Hilfiger

It does seem like I am almost coming full circle from an unknown flower and A to gardenia and D.

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