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I say ours is a no onion/garlic home..
This reminded me and suddenly transported me back a decade. A wonderful incident from 2014 or 2015 came flooding back. We had decided to sell a two-year-old recliner to make way for two new ones. I posted an advertisement on Craigslist, a platform similar to (olx.com here in Bharat) here, but popular in the USA for free advertising.
As recliners are extremely heavy, transportation posed a significant challenge. Ideally, one would need a pickup vehicle, similar to the Tata Sumo. Aware that the recliner's resale value was around $70+, we intentionally priced it low, stating in the ad that it was available for just $20 to anyone willing to pick it up.
We received a few responses to our advertisement, and one of the interested parties, a gentleman from a humble American background, visited our residence the following day. He was delighted to purchase the recliner, which he found to be in exceptional condition. Having hired a suitable vehicle for transportation, he thanked us sincerely and took possession of the recliner.
The next morning, the American gentleman unexpectedly returned with the recliner, stating that he couldn't use it. We were taken aback and inspected the recliner thoroughly, finding no issues or defects that would cause any inconvenience for sitting or sleeping. Perplexed, we asked him to explain the reason behind his decision.
He explained, "I don't mind losing the $20 I paid for the recliner, plus the $30 I spent on renting a pickup vehicle. But I simply can't use this recliner. Every time I sit on it, I'm overwhelmed by the smell of spices, and I just can't tolerate it."
It's interesting that the smell of spices was so potent that it was a deal-breaker for him!
In a surprising turn of events, my son-in-law offered the American gentleman $50, which he initially resisted but eventually accepted. With that, the matter was settled, and he left.
We later decided to give the recliner away for free to our lawn mower, a Mexican gentleman who would visit us every fortnight to maintain our lawn. He was grateful for the gift, and the recliner finally found a new home.
The incident highlights an interesting cultural difference. Just as some of us may be sensitive to the smell of garlic or non-vegetarian food, many Americans tend to be averse to the aroma of Indian spices. This underscores the diversity of sensory preferences across cultures and the importance of being considerate of these differences.
In 2013, I embarked on a guided tour to Niagara, Philadelphia, and Maryland, organised by a Chinese tour group. The majority of the tourists were from China. During the bus journeys, whenever my Chinese fellow travelers opened their food containers, the pungent aromas wafting through the air-conditioned bus would assail my senses and those of my family. Despite the discomfort, we tolerated it, recognising the cultural differences in culinary preferences.
The lesson learnt...
"Don't pass negative comments when you are not comfortable." "Just bear it."
And...
Interestingly, the American gentleman made us realise that the aromas of ಒಗ್ಗರಣೆ (temple incense), ಶುಂಠಿ (ginger), ಜೀರಿಗೆ (cumin), ಮೆಣಸು (pepper), ಚೆಕ್ಕೆ (cardamom), and ದಾಲ್ಚಿನ್ನಿ (cinnamon) can permeate and linger on furniture, especially in homes with open kitchens.
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