Scents and the City

Every time I get out of Port Authority, I am reminded that I live in New Paltz. When I lived in NYC, the smells of the city seemed normal. I picked up the occasional wafts from street vendors or exhaust pipes, but otherwise the scent of The City seemed neutral. But then we moved to New Paltz. Unlike Manhattan, New Paltz still has more trees than cars. A river runs thru it, even. Fresh air abounds. One's nose awakens.

Now when I set foot in Times Square, I'm immediately hit by the scent of a penny held too long in the palm. The entire city is oxidized and gives off a smell of burnt rubber, rust, ozone, and smog. It takes some getting used to.

At least it's not as bad as London. I remember a trip we made in the 1990s. After a couple days, when I blew my nose, I noticed something black in the tissue. Shirra explained that this was from the sooty air. You don't get that in Manhattan. There, it's only brown.