The Itchy Scent of Grass

The pungent itchy aroma of grass hangs in the air around my neighborhood. This can only mean one thing: springtime is out in full force. Lately all of my neighbors have begun the springtime tradition of mowing their lawns. They and payed lawn-care experts are mowing, pulling weeds, and planting flowers. (Well, only one of my neighbors has successfully managed to grow flowers on a regular basis. My mom tries, but the results are usually pretty sad.) For many people, the smell of a freshly cut lawn evokes a sense of cleanliness and childhood nostalgia. For me, it's the smell of discomfort. Okay, it does evoke memories of childhood for me too, just unpleasant ones and here's why.

Just by smelling it, I feel itchy. My eyes begin to water and as the pungent scent of grass and weeds hits my nose, I twitch and sneeze. If I'm in the presence of this sadistic essence for too long, I will eventually need my inhaler for my asthma. I'd be itchy and unable to breathe. And this smell has a way of getting everywhere. I can drive by a house where someone is mowing their lawn and that itchy smell breaches the vents of my car. All I can do is hold my breath until I pass the house...and the house after it, just for good measure. Most people won't understand this because they are not burdened by nasty allergies and asthma. They love the smell of grass and probably can't fathom why someone could hate it or how it could harm someone. But I do and it does! So there you have it; grass from the other perspective. (My eyes are watering now just thinking about this.)