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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 people who don't feel properly dressed if they haven't doused themselves with their favorite scent. It emanates from them like 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 the percussion section.
My thoughts turn to the wind, brass and horn players, and I wonder if the 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, 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 lives in Tarpon Springs. Guest columnists write their own views on subjects they choose, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.