Tia Juana will cheerfully provide advice for anyone that asks. Just mail your questions to “Ask Tia Juana” at PO Box 8, Van Horn, Texas 79855. All questions will remain anonymous unless there is a chance for extortion. Disclaimer: Tia Juana is not a licensed counselor or therapist and none of the advice should be considered professional.
Dear Tia,
I have this elderly friend who must have a problem with her sense of smell because she wears so much cologne you know she’s around even before you see her. It’s not that she wears cheap stuff, but it’s usually really strong and kind of sickening. Here’s the problem…she always wants a hug, which means that her cologne will transfer to me and I’ll be stuck with it all day! This stuff does not wear off, and after a few hours, I end up having a sore throat, not to mention a headache, and worst of all, smelling like an old lady all day. How can I avoid the dreaded hug without being rude?
Just wave
Dear Wave,
If your friend is elderly, her sense of smell is probably not as sensitive and as a result she pours on the cologne because she doesn’t realize that others can smell her a mile away. Since she is a hugger, you are going to have to take evasive action to avoid contamination, but not to the extent that you are rude. She is obviously a warm, loving person who just happens to reek of strong cologne. Carry Kleenex with you and tell her you have a horrible cold that you don’t want to pass along to her, and hope that she doesn’t realize that your cold has lasted for months! Good luck!
