Confusion and awe

Me:        I.JUST.DON’T.UNDERSTAND

Him:      Understand what?

Me:        How DO they make them smell so real?

Him:      What?

Me:        Yankee Candles.

Him:      Oh, well they will have specialists in perfumery who work out all  the elements that create the smell and simulate it.

Me:        But this smells like ACTUAL cut roses.

Him:      Right. Well that’s how they do it.

Me:        But it smells nothing like anything ‘rose’ I’ve ever smelt. It’s too                authentic. ACTUAL CUT ROSES.

Him:      It probably doesn’t have anything ‘rose’ in it. It’s a synthetic                      smell.

Me:        ACTUAL CUT ROSES!

(One of my work colleagues was today exclaiming the same surprise at this candle’s authenticity of aroma. As far as I’m concerned it must be voodoo trickery. And probably a whole host of flower-bearing sprites.)