Kelly's Life with Four Senses

Casey Buscher

COM 600

7/23/2018

Kelly's Life with Four Senses

Most people are all born with five senses. Harrison Kelly however, has never been able to use one of his five senses, the ability to smell. Growing up, Kelly didn’t realize for a while that he wasn’t able to notice bad stenches or the sweetest smelling of things like cookies. At first, his mom couldn’t believe that he wasn’t able to smell but now it’s something that he lives with everyday.

It was never something that was a difficult issue for him to overcome but it was always a little different not being able to smell the things around him like his peers. Although he wishes that he could one day smell, Kelly says he won’t miss smelling because he’s never had it but he kind of wishes that one day he would be able to smell.

https://soundcloud.com/user-369693977/harrison

Interview Transcription:

Hello, this is Casey Buscher and I am interviewing Harrison Kelly. So something I’ve learned about Harrison that is really interesting about him is that he is not able to smell. So i’m going to talk a little bit about how that’s been for him in his life.

Q: Harrison, when was the first time you realized you couldn’t smell?

A: Throughout my childhood, my friends who say, oh do you smell that? And it really didn’t click with me until probably like 7th grade. I told my mom and she didn’t believe me. She blindfolded me, put a cup of water and a cup of vinegar up to my nose and I didn’t flinch. I swore I couldn’t tell the difference. She was appalled and she didn’t know what was going on.

Q: I’ve heard that smelling and tasting is connected, so can you tell what food is what food?

A: I can taste. I wouldn’t know if it’s to the same ability as other people because it does go hand and hand but I definitely can taste. I can taste hot, sour, all that.

Q: Do you have any weird experiences about not being able to smell?

A: “Just meeting people. Like I met my roommate and the first time smell came up; he was like that smells bad and i’m like yeah I know. You just have to find the right time to be like you know what, I have to tell you this, I can’t smell.”

Q: Have you ever wished that you could smell something?

A: Definitely, there is always the drawbacks, the obvious ones, like smelling bad smells or being in a car with somebody that smells bad. When people cover their noses, I feel bad for them because I’m sure it’s really bad. But the good smells like cookies, i’ve heard they're amazing. I won’t miss it because I’ve never had it but I kind of wish that I could be able to smell.