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Olfaction

July 4, 2017 20 Comments

Olfaction
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Mother compliments the bridge of my aquiline nose. Yet, she’s disbelieving when I tell her that upstairs, baby’s diaper is fetid,
soggy. Inside my twelve-year-old nostrils, tiny, sensitive antennae wave and stretch—absorbing signals. They quiver from the chemicals in Mother’s hair color.

A sharp knock on the door. Mother drops a plate; pizza slices scatter and strew.

“Don’t open,” I say, inhaling the odor of alcohol, another woman’s scent, and the simmer of anger from outside the door.

“It’s Father, I must,” Mother says.

“Don’t!”

Father’s knuckles rap, urgent.

I cannot convince her; when I lost one sense, another sharpened.

By Sudha Balagopal

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. JacciGoodingAuthor says

    July 4, 2017 at 4:10 am

    A whole life in those few words – well done.

    Reply
    • sudhabalagopalblog says

      July 4, 2017 at 6:48 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  2. Gina Dowers says

    July 4, 2017 at 5:52 am

    Just WOW!

    Reply
    • sudhabalagopalblog says

      July 4, 2017 at 6:48 am

      Thanks, Gina!

      Reply
  3. Paul Beckman says

    July 4, 2017 at 6:59 am

    So well done!

    Reply
    • sudhabalagopalblog says

      July 4, 2017 at 7:07 am

      Thanks, Paul!

      Reply
  4. Mel Gambutti says

    July 4, 2017 at 7:00 am

    Wow. Powerful, Sudha! Great job at capturing so much in so few!

    Reply
    • sudhabalagopalblog says

      July 4, 2017 at 7:07 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  5. Bobby Warner says

    July 4, 2017 at 8:18 am

    Wonderful title! Great story! Hope to see a lot more of your work.

    Reply
    • sudhabalagopalblog says

      July 4, 2017 at 10:16 am

      Thank you for reading, Bobby!

      Reply
  6. Jayne Martin says

    July 4, 2017 at 9:56 am

    Outstanding!

    Reply
    • sudhabalagopalblog says

      July 4, 2017 at 10:17 am

      Thanks, Jane!

      Reply
      • Meredith Suter says

        July 4, 2017 at 9:17 pm

        The tension! Great work!

        Reply
        • sudhabalagopalblog says

          July 5, 2017 at 6:08 am

          Thanks, Meredith!

          Reply
  7. alva1206 says

    July 4, 2017 at 9:20 pm

    A powerful piece of micro fiction, Sudha. A whole story yet with so much more to say. Well done.

    Reply
    • sudhabalagopalblog says

      July 5, 2017 at 6:09 am

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  8. Bozdar says

    July 7, 2017 at 3:39 pm

    Powerful words, strong emotions. Many thanks for a great read, Sudha.

    Reply
    • sudhabalagopalblog says

      July 9, 2017 at 7:05 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  9. museworthyman says

    July 8, 2017 at 1:29 pm

    I didn’t smell it coming~the twist that is. Excellent story, thanks.

    Reply
    • sudhabalagopalblog says

      July 9, 2017 at 7:05 am

      Thank you!

      Reply

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