The above line is something I get a lot. I mean A LOT! Friends, family, co-workers, students, mail carriers—they all forget at some point that I can’t smell. It always happens after they have asked the question, “Can you smell that?” or simply the command “Smell this.” And you’d think my own mother would remember, especially after I almost burnt the house down (that’s another blog for another day). But people always forget…
At first, when I was younger, yes…it would make me angry or hurt when close friends forgot. But now I realize, anosmia is not a very obvious disability. After all, I don’t walk with a cane. I don’t talk with my hands (at least, not that much). So a few years back I decided to start having some fun with it. Now when someone asks if I smell something, I simply answer “Oh God yes, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about your odor.” They usually remember pretty quickly after that. Some will even smile.