An Education - A Story of Scent

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I have to tell this story to lead up to my entry for Paris.

When I was 19 I met a man that would change my life forever.  The summer when I was 19 going on 20 was one of the best summers of my life.  My boyfriend from my freshman year of college had broken up with me and my best friend used this as an excuse for us to go out every night.  At this point in time, between the two of us, we knew everyone at the bars and clubs.  We were able to get in without being 21 years of age.  Which is the drinking age in the states.  This particular night we had maneuvered our way into a local watering hole which many of our of-age friends would frequent.  The group of us grabbed a corner booth.  A few drinks in I had to use the restroom.  I gathered my purse and excused myself.  As I was about to reach the door a man popped out of no where and blocked my entry into the restroom. 

19 year old Lazy Girl: “Excuse me sir you’re blocking my way.”

Older Gentleman: “Sorry, but I can’t let you go.  I saw you from across the room and I’ve been watching you.  I’ve already fallen in love with you.  When you got up I had to run over, this could be my only chance.”

19 year old Lazy Girl: “I really have to go to the bathroom.  May we talk when I get out?”

Older Gentleman: “No, you see I’m afraid that by the time you get out someone else may try to talk to you and I can’t take that chance.  All I ask for is five minutes to talk to you.  I will die a happy man if I know I got five minutes to speak to you.”

19 year old Lazy Girl: “Haha, really?  Ok, I’ll give you five minutes.”  (Don’t judge me, I was 19 years old coming off of a break-up.  You’re more vulnerable and susceptible when someone just breaks up with you.)

When this older gentleman was talking to me he would lean in and talk into my ear.  I don’t really remember what we talked about.  The only part of the conversation I do remember was how I smelled.  He continually was smelling me and I eventually asked what he was doing. 

Older Gentleman: “Your smell is intoxicating. I could spend the rest of my life smelling you.”

My best friend then came over to tell me that we were leaving the bar.  At this point I had not even used the restroom.  I found this to be the perfect opportunity to make a run for it and left my new gentleman friend and my best friend waiting for me.  When I came out he was standing right there still waiting for me.

19 year old Lazy Girl: “You’re still here?”

Older Gentleman: “I couldn’t leave without getting your phone number.”

He proceeded to pull out his cell phone as he handed me his business card.  I did, against my better judgment give him my number.  He didn’t waste this opportunity with my phone number and pursued me with guns blazing the following weeks.

At the end of the summer I finally said yes to a date and found myself in a love affair with a type of man I thought only existed in the movies.  He was a charismatic, tender, dark, handsome man and 14 years my senior.  I named him Captain of the Industry.  On our first date I remember him leading me across the street by the small of my back, which I had never experienced before or ever again until More-Yes.  More-Yes lead me out of a restaurant using that same technique on our first date.  I nearly had a heart-attack. 

Captain of the Industry and I would go on dating for a little while.  He brought so much into my life but the one thing that always was stuck in my head was how we were obsessed with each other’s smell.  Strange I know.  When you’re with someone your mind uses all of your senses, smell is a big factor.  Even after we broke up and we remained friends his smell would still trigger some memory of us.  Could be one of the reasons why we found ourselves back together years later and he was asking me to build a future with him.  Alas,  I would discover,  Captain of the Industry and I were not meant to be but when I stepped foot in Paris, The City of Love, all I could think about was him.