I was sitting at the assigned bus shelter for my route, tired and eager to get home. I tried to concentrate on my reading, but the smell of three-day-old onions and recycled oil, combined with unwashed body odour and burnt curry, savaged my concentration.
Keeping my face neutral, I tried to breathe through my mouth, discreetly leaving it slightly ajar, while mentally praying for some relief from the stench.
Asking God for forgiveness, I put away my tablet. Reading was a bust. I simply couldn't focus.
I sat up straighter, leaned halfway forward and turned my body to the right, away from the smell. It helped a little, but not enough to keep me in my seat.
Eventually, I got up and walked out of the shelter. The air was cleaner, and the relief to my senses was immediate. I remained standing there until my bus arrived. I was considerably colder, but it was a discomfort I could withstand.
I had always been certain that I wasn't the type of person who would move away from someone because of an unpleasant smell. I imagined myself maintaining a neutral expression, a calm demeanour and simply enduring the situation without drawing attention to the person sitting next to me.
But apparently, I was wrong. I discovered that I couldn't maintain my composure, let alone my seat. I needed to escape the funk! Still, I was mindful not to let my discomfort become her embarrassment. I made no comments, showed no outward signs of disgust and quietly removed myself from the situation. I believe I managed to preserve her dignity, even if I couldn't preserve my seat.
What would you have done?
I was sitting at the assigned bus shelter for my route, tired and eager to get home. I tried to concentrate on my reading, but the smell of three-day-old onions and recycled oil, combined with unwashed body odour and burnt curry, savaged my concentration.
Keeping my face neutral, I tried to breathe through my mouth, discreetly leaving it slightly ajar, while mentally praying for some relief from the stench.
Asking God for forgiveness, I put away my tablet. Reading was a bust. I simply couldn't focus.
I sat up straighter, leaned halfway forward and turned my body to the right, away from the smell. It helped a little, but not enough to keep me in my seat.
Eventually, I got up and walked out of the shelter. The air was cleaner, and the relief to my senses was immediate. I remained standing there until my bus arrived. I was considerably colder, but it was a discomfort I could withstand.
I had always been certain that I wasn't the type of person who would move away from someone because of an unpleasant smell. I imagined myself maintaining a neutral expression, a calm demeanour and simply enduring the situation without drawing attention to the person sitting next to me.
But apparently, I was wrong. I discovered that I couldn't maintain my composure, let alone my seat. I needed to escape the funk! Still, I was mindful not to let my discomfort become her embarrassment. I made no comments, showed no outward signs of disgust and quietly removed myself from the situation. I believe I managed to preserve her dignity, even if I couldn't preserve my seat.
What would you have done?
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