In January, I noted that when I used particularly yummy smelling soap, I have a strange compulsive urge to eat it. I wondered if anyone had the same experience. Feedback ranged from “No, I do not” to “No, you are a weirdo,” other than my mom, who noted that she had the same issue and wondered if it might be genetic.
I was inclined to go with the genetic theory until I went to a party at my friend’s house. Someone gave her a tub of pumpkin body butter, which was passed around for all the guests to admire. I tried to avoid it so that I would not have the desire to taste it, but it caught up with me before the party was over. I took a deep whiff and began salivating. As I passed it along to the next person (without first licking it, I might proudly add), I mentioned how it smelled good enough to eat. Another guest, who is a slightly older woman and is the chairperson of a university psychology department, nodded in understanding. She said that it is so tempting to her that she once could not stop herself from sampling some delicious-smelling shampoo. She did not seem to find that incredibly bizarre at all, but did not recommend doing so, as it still tastes like soap.
In the end I am glad to know unlike all my other genetic mutations (like the fact that I never developed adult second molars on my bottom jaw and never will), the desire to taste yummy smelling bath products is not at all unusual. Hurray!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Why must persons who have not had one's particular experience, which by the way seems perfectly logical, respond as if you are mutant and they are normal, so to speak? When I smell something that smells like good food, I wanna eat it, too. When you start smelling shit, I mean real shit, and ya wanna eat it, then we'll need to worry.
ReplyDeleteOne time my neighbor's cat was all over me after ignoring me for years. Finally, my neighbor, who is also a good friend, kind of an Ethel to my Lucy, asked if I was wearing musk. I was! Turns out that stuff is excreted from deer - kinda like pee, or actually pee - or something. So her soft li'l cuddly cat wanted to fuck me. She wasn't my type.
man- i can't top the cat story (now i know not to wear musk around cats- thanks!).
ReplyDeleteMy brother, when he was little, would pick up those pretty clearish glycerine soaps in any store and just chew on them right through the wrapper. My mom and gram just felt so guilty they couldn't put soap with tiny sharp child bites back on the shelf (who blames them- I wouldn't buy fucked up soaps) so they purchased them and we always had them in the house, even though my mom hated the way they smelled. I recently asked my now 31 year old brother why he used to bite them and he simply replied "they smelled like food".
so i guess it's just natural