Hangnail Sketches: The Story Behind ‘Notes of Desperation’
In the 2012 documentary, “Somm”, we follow a group of sommeliers who train to pass an elite test. Along the way we hear one describe the scent of a particular wine as akin to “fresh tennis balls.” Unlike other naturally grown ingredients such as vanilla, coffee, or fruit, it never occurred to me that wine could smell like fresh tennis balls never mind ones gnawed on by an old German shepherd, but once it did, I left what else wine could smell like open to other options.
In the age of app dating — especially in New York City — one could argue that the quicker someone replies translates not to, as I’d hope, the more considerate the other party, but rather, and more pessimistically, the more desperate the quick responder is.
Devoid of other senses, particularly sight, people on their phones are making snap judgments on other metrics, including how quickly another responds. These new metrics may as well be the six senses of the digital age. And if, as they say, sharks smell fear, then I’m pretty damn sure the single women of NYC smell male desperation.
Once I had the notion that women could smell desperation, I imagined a woman swirling a glass of wine at a wine bar saying to her sommelier, “Mmm, dry, fruity, but, yeah, strong notes of desperation. Do you have any rosé with a noseful of independence and confidence?”
Speed dating is already a thing so I mapped that experience to a wine tasting, but instead of a sommelier bringing out glass after a glass, she brings out man after man for her patron to swirl, smell, and judge.
Once I established the wine tasting approach, the rest of the ‘Notes of Desperation’ sketch, particularly its beats based on the interactions between patron and sommelier, wrote themselves and lent the sketch to multiple games.
And so, without further ado, here is ‘Notes of Desperation’. Salute!
