Sports | Lightning

Eau de distress of perfume, cologne

Letters to the Editor
Published November 30, 2005

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It's opening night for the Florida Orchestra at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. Cocktail dresses, beads, sparkling jewelry, jackets and ties adorn the cultured crowd. There is constant chatter and a sense of anticipation. The atmosphere is cloying.

There is a fog in the air, unaffected by the ventilation system straining to remove the humidity from the hall, brought in through the open lobby doors. It is the almost visible pall of perfume, immoderately applied by women who don't feel properly dressed if they haven't doused themselves with their favorite scent. It emanates from them as heat ripples off a hot street in the summer.

The wearers of such extravagant application leave a wake of fragrance as they navigate through the lobby, nearly choking those unlucky enough to follow them. Pity the poor patrons who are predestined to sit next to these carriers of cologne during the concert.

Before the first note is played, a polite but futile announcement is made, asking people to silence their cell phones and pagers. It is too late to ask those seated on velvet upholstery to be judicious in their use of scent. The hall is redolent with their profligacy.

As the evening progresses and the ventilation system stirs and redistributes the air throughout the hall, the pungent fumes affect more and more of their fellow classical music aficionados.

The miasma aggravates my asthma, and I struggle to breathe. By the midpoint of the concert, it sounds more like a doctor's waiting room than a concert hall. Coughs punctuate the music more often than does the percussion section.

My thoughts turn to the wind, brass and horn players, and I wonder if the noisome fug affects their performance. Surely the members of the orchestra breathe the same air as the audience. Are there any asthmatics on the stage?

Is there a solution to the problem? Probably not. Gentle reminders could be sent with the tickets or on the concert postcards we receive in the mail, but rarely do people believe that such a reminder could be aimed at them. They continue to turn a blind eye or, rather, a pinched nose to the fact that they are causing respiratory distress to other concertgoers.

It is every bit as offensive as the ringing of cell phones and beeps of signal watches during the performance. Those hundreds of women, as well as the men who generously applied their aftershave cologne, caused those of us with allergies and other respiratory difficulties to involuntarily disrupt the concert we came together to enjoy. I'm sure that many of those same aromatic people looked askance at their "rude," coughing neighbors, never considering that they themselves were at fault.

Unfortunately, consideration for others can't be legislated. We must rely on the goodwill and empathy of those with enough awareness to recognize themselves in this narrative.

As we enter this season of family gatherings, holiday parties, concerts and other social events, use care in surrounding yourself and others with your favorite scent. What you may deem an integral part of your attire may cause others respiratory distress, especially if applied lavishly.

-- Neila O'Neill, Tarpon Springs

Thanksgiving dinner opens eyes

My husband and I spent this Thanksgiving at the Salvation Army with 75 volunteers from the community serving dinner to more than 100 hungry people.

After completing our duties, the volunteers were invited to join in the feast. My husband and I sat with several people for whom this was truly an extraordinary meal. I learned of the reality of the circumstances for these people from the street.

One man wanted to explain that although he was living on the street, he did have a job, as a truck driver. It was just not possible for a single man to make enough to pay rent and eat. The woman on my right explained that her life on the street had started just one month earlier after she lost her job and home because of health issues. She was living on a disability check of $599 per month.

My turkey stuck in my throat. My heart was literally in my stomach. The two people sharing their stories explained their need for self-reliance and maintaining their pride.

Our society is experiencing a strange phenomenon - well-educated and kindly people are being forced into street living. This is how I experienced the Greatest Thanksgiving. I was giving thanks like never before. The tune to Psalm 95 suddenly coursed through my mind: "If today you hear God's voice, harden not your hearts."

-- Jan Magray, St. Petersburg

See Jimmy run, toward those degrees

I am grateful for the father-son time the Times Turkey Trot provides for us.

My son Jimmy, a college senior, and I run every year. We have a deal. If he wins, I keep paying college tuition. If I win, I don't.

Looks like Jimmy will get his Ph.D.

-- Jim Rudolph, Clearwater

Roberts Adult Center needs attention

Now that Mayor Rick Baker and all City Council members are secure in their new terms, it would be greatly appreciated if they would put the replacement of the badly neglected Roberts Adult Center high on their list of city improvements. Enough of downtown, Midtown, Old Northeast.

-- Lucille M. Miller, St. Petersburg

Is the student well fed, loved?

Re: Look past race to narrow the gap, by Liam Julian, Nov. 13.

Racial diversity does not raise student achievement. Where the education environment is standardized and the black student doesn't do as well as the white, the condition then does not relate to the classroom per se. To find the answers we must cut cleanly to the essence of things.

It can be that the student is not focused because of malnutrition or a bad home environment - home hardships are not conducive to learning. A student who hangs around on street corners instead of being at home studying is another main factor.

I'd wager that black students who are loved and well cared for in the home, who have parents who participate in their development, will be on par with white students. Pinpoint the cause of poor grades relative to a student and you will have the answer.

A well-fed and loved student who is motivated and applies himself or herself (including disciplined study in the home) will get superb grades. Nothing will stifle intellectual achievement like neglect in the home with parents who just don't care.

-- Robert B. Fleming, St. Petersburg

[Last modified November 30, 2005, 05:09:25]