Today’s exercise is one of using taste and smell in description, and the principle of ‘show don’t tell’.
Of the three scenarios given I chose the list five smells and five tastes associated with a particular car.
I remember summer days sitting in my grandad’s old blue ford, or was it yellow? Perhaps there was one of each, it all merges together after so long. I do remember the smell though. So distinctive it was almost a taste. There was a hint of warm plastic and upholstery, and petrol fumes.
It was clean but not that comfortable to sit in all day. Sometimes we’d have fish and chips wrapped in plain creamy-white paper sat in a carpark in Boston. They weren’t as good as the ones in Immingham. But I can still feel the crispy crack of salted, vinegared batter and savoury potato. Soft white haddock. Or was it cod? I’ve never liked cod, it’s too bitter. But haddock, haddock is sweet and tastes perfect when deep fried in batter.
Most often we’d drive for what seemed like hours around villages and small towns talking about books and my future. We’d argue but not argue, and when we’d stop so Gramps could go and knock on the door of some debtor or other I stare around me, nervous in a strange place. The houses we visited were often alike: council houses or ex-RAF built semis, with long gardens and chainlink fences.
I told you all before that I struggle with description, and I think I just proved it with that piece.
Everything Is Better With Dragons 