That Smell

That Smell is a song by Lynyrd Skynyrd that appears in a scene of Cassiopée Smith’s drug use. Its specific significance in the novel comes from the moment when she sings it while taking cocaine, making the song part of a scene that moves from cannabis use to a more dangerous relapse.

Identification and Appearance

The text identifies That Smell as a song by Lynyrd Skynyrd. It does not provide lyrics or further details about the song; its appearance is tied to Cassiopée’s actions rather than to a separate discussion of its meaning or history.

The Cocaine Scene

Alone in the room, Cassiopée retrieves a hidden bong and cannabis from beneath her bed, then smokes. After noticing a separate sachet, she names the cocaine and turns to the powder while singing That Smell. She takes three lines: her reaction shifts from smiling after the first to laughing after the second, before she drops the tube and stretches out on the floor.

Narrative Function

The song accompanies a clear escalation in the scene: Cassiopée moves from smoking cannabis to using cocaine, and the increasingly altered reactions give the moment its progression. That Smell is therefore presented as part of the immediate soundscape of her relapse, not as commentary that explains or excuses it.