Date: April 22, 2025
Author: Emily Ramirez
Last night was supposed to be an unforgettable concert experience. I was so pumped up about seeing my favorite band live with my best friend, and we had the whole day planned out. We decided to grab dinner first at this hole-in-the-wall spot that’s known for its killer Korean fried chicken and paninis. We shared a huge platter of spicy chicken and chowed down on the sandwiches like they were the last meal we’d ever have. Everything was delicious, but little did I know, it would lead to an evening I’ll never forget—though for all the wrong reasons.
We arrived at the concert venue, and everything was perfect. The atmosphere was electric, the crowd was hyped, and I was in my element. But about an hour into the show, I started noticing something… odd. It wasn’t overwhelming, just a subtle smell that seemed to come and go in waves. At first, I thought it was my friend. I figured maybe she’d burped or something, as ridiculous as that sounds, but it smelled like sausage and bell peppers—definitely not the usual concert odors.
A few minutes later, it happened again. The smell was back, and it was so distinct. I looked at my friend, waiting for her to acknowledge it, but she just kept chatting and singing along, oblivious. I didn’t want to embarrass her, so I started scanning the crowd, wondering if it was someone else. Maybe someone was eating something smelly nearby? But no, the smell lingered, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was coming from me. Could it be possible?
I kept trying to ignore it, but it was getting hard to concentrate on the music when I couldn’t shake the thought. I was wearing a new jacket, and I figured maybe it was the fabric or something. Maybe the panini or fried chicken hadn’t settled right in my stomach, but the timing was just too perfect. I tried to push it out of my mind, but the more I tried to ignore it, the more self-conscious I became.
Eventually, I gave up trying to figure out where it was coming from and just focused on the music. After all, the concert was the reason we were there in the first place. But that smell? It followed me all night. And today, as I sit here writing this, I’m still cringing at the thought of it. Who knew something as simple as sausage and bell peppers could turn into a full-blown crisis at a concert?
At least I can laugh about it now, but I’ll never forget the moment I realized it wasn’t someone else. It was me.
