How the Scent of a Guy left me Senseless

Memoir and Microcosm Writing Prompt: We act on the smell, not reasoning...

Image by Anastasiya Badun from Pixabay

The ability to smell is an amazing thing. I have always known it is one of my strongest senses and on occasions, where men are concerned, it has overridden my moral judgement.

Writing Prompt

Over on Medium, Microcosm is running a writing prompt - SMELL. If you write flash fiction and have an account, why not take a look by clicking the banner below? It’s a free post, so anyone can read -

Smell really is the most amazing of our senses…

Perfumes and Colognes

I believe some perfumes/colognes are laced with artificial pheromones, which could be a reason for choosing to wear them. Personally, I think there is nothing like the natural odour of a clean person. Everybody has their own unique scent, which is masked by perfumes. Often it will be some time before you actually know what a new lover really smells like.

Growing up in the south of the UK, perfumes were popular. Indeed, I felt very grown up when I found a suitable one for myself and got to appreciate certain male colognes more than others.

In the North, it was a different matter. Many guys living there didn’t seem to feel the need to hide their natural aroma.

This tale is about an occasion when the smell of a man had quite a startling effect on me — no cologne needed.

Acting on Smell - Memoir

When I was at University, I was part of a small group of students who began meeting together to socialise. One of the guys who joined our group was Nate, he was from Manchester and a couple of years younger. After a short while he developed a bit of a crush on me.

Initially, I didn’t particularly find him attractive — although we got on well enough. I actually lived with my boyfriend, Vic. We had practically grown up together and started dating a few years earlier. It was love; I certainly wasn’t intending to cheat on him.

I was in the library finishing an assignment one evening before the union social when I became aware of a presence behind me — highlighted by an extremely attractive natural masculine smell. I felt hands on my shoulders and my body tingled. Turning I saw Nate standing there in a crisp clean white shirt and faded jeans. I suddenly noticed what an appealing smile he had and how his jeans showed off his taut bum.

Senseless

That was it — later that evening — as we made out — I told him I would never leave my boyfriend, so we should just enjoy the moment. I honestly thought I wouldn’t take it further than that first night’s kiss and grope. I mean, how could I? Wasn’t I in love?

The trouble was each time Nate came near me, his scent would literally leave me senseless.

Now, the fact that my judgement wavered upon smelling him is not as curious as you may think. Going way back in time -

the sense of smell was a defense mechanism essential to survival and for our own safety would bypass the cerebral cortex.

Meaning, we act on the smell, not the reasoning. All logic goes out the window.