Aug. 31, 2003 - 21:46 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

Takes Me Back

In her entry of August 31, 2003 Becky tells of the lingering scent of loose face powder and its affect on her.

That box of face powder with its puff on my Mom's dresser and its wonderful smell as she got ready to go to work which still lingered after she left and before I left for school, made me feel at home, secure, loved and in my place. It was a delightful scent, wish I could remember the name of it, Coty maybe - had pictures of little powder puffs (with little handles) on the box.

Before I lost my sense of smell I could feel my mother near me every time a woman would pass me who was wearing Emeraud perfume. In a crowd it maybe could have been a man wearing it as an aftershave, but I doubt it, the scent would have been overpoweringly strong I think.

Sense of touch has a place in my memories too, I was very young but can remember a very beloved shirt of mine, it was Pongee. It had a sheen and a texture all of its own, made me feel loved to have something so nice. Mom's soft fur collar and cuffs on her winter coat always had a faint scent of that same Emeraud perfume even as it hung in the closet in the summer. As a very young kid I would go into the closet on a bad day and bury my nose in the collar and put my hands on the cuffs and feel near the comfort that only my Mother seemed to give.

Touch, smell, sight, they all have the possibility of putting me in touch with times past. Mom's Blackills, red gold, shamrock pin with a diamond in center stays in my mind still, even though I passed it on to our youngest daughter long ago. Mom's furs made of Beaver, given to her by a dear friend, acquainted me with just how soft and luxurious furs can be. So at times when I pass a fur display somewhere, my sense of touch gets a treat.

I think most anything good can cause me to recall great times in the past. Even a gentle, loving hand on my shoulder Takes Me Back . . . . . . . . . .

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