The lady wearing the fancy hat loves to clean.
Says you can eat off her floors.
Maybe that’s true, but standing next to her
The smell of Lysol and bleach gag me.

And that lady’s coat always has an odor.
It’s not totally unpleasant but made me wonder.
I took her some bread and found
She shares her house with ten cats.

How about the man over there?
Doesn’t he smell of an old fashioned pipe?
My goodness, Mom, get a life.
It’s Mary Jane and beer.

Do people know they carry their home odors with them?
Do I?


Written in response to Charli Mills November 28, 2023, prompt at Carrot Ranch Literary: In 99 words (no more, no less), write the smell of other people’s houses. You could compare your childhood home to friends’ homes; houses in different regions; houses on the same street; dorm rooms or public housing. Go where the prompt leads!