Dear Mr. President,
Have you ever noticed that every place in the world has a different smell? I smelled decaying marigolds and ash in India, rose-scented miracles and dried blood in El Salvador, and clear water running over mossy gnomes in Austria. I am from Texas, and our farm smells like hay bleached by August sun and pond water scattered with pine needles. This morning I opened my window at dawn and burned incense on the ledge. Now my apartment smells just a little bit like India.
Perhaps not every place has a different smell. The suburbs all smell the same. And even worse than People Forgetting is that people are Beginning Not to Notice.
What does the White House smell like? What does Baghdad smell like?
Sincerely,
Ann Crews Melton
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
I love this addition to McSweeney's Dear Mr. President page:
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1 comment:
So cool to hear from you, Ann! Thanks so much for leaving a note. I am obsessed with the senses and am always excited to see writers tap into the sensory world in fresh ways, so your McSweeney's letter really spoke to me. I look forward to checking out your blog.
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