Magical Powers

I have developed magical powers.

I have developed the magical power of smell.  I can smell fictional characters and actors and songs.

Moira Rose smells like expensive perfume, lavender and tea tree oil.  She smells of freshly brewed coffee, and cinnamon buns.  When she laughs there’s a hint of lemon on her breath, and she’s comforting to inhale.

Drew Barrymore smells of Turkish Delight and Reese Witherspoon of strawberry bubble gum.  Catherine Deneuve smells of twenty year old whiskey, and the hint of a cigarette, you might pass in the park.  Meryl Streep smells of cottage pie straight out of the oven, and Dolly smells of nutmeg.

How’s week 49 going for you? 

Never, in the history of humankind have so many of us participated in such a global experiment with no clear boundaries.  It’s an unethical experiment; we didn’t volunteer for it, we can’t opt out of it, we don’t know how long it’s going to last and we’re not clear who’s in charge.  We don’t even know what the objective of this experiment is.

Never, in the history of humankind, have we all been trying to adapt to such a new world, all at the same time.  No one can guide us or show us how to do it, and no one can assure us that things will work out in the end.

Or was it always the case?

The first people to go to the moon thought they were special.  The first ones to cross the Atlantic thought they were extraordinary.  The first ones who learned to write sentences believed they were exceptional, until those who learned how to read the sentences caught up with them.

The first people who built a wheel thought they were unique too.

Sonia:  Tom, Tom, come quick.  I want you to see what I’ve been working on all morning.

Tom:  What is that?

Sonia:  At the moment, I’m calling it a “wheel”, but I’m thinking about some other names. 

Tom:  A wheel? What does a wheel do? 

Sonia:  Well, let’s say you’re in the forest but you’d prefer to be on the savannah?  You could use this wheel to transport yourself, and it would be easier and quicker than walking!

Tom:  I don’t understand? Why would I need something easier and quicker than walking?

Sonia:  You might need to carry goods or products from the forest to the savannah, this would help you transport them.

Tom:  No, you’ve lost me.

Sonia:  Oh my God Tom!  You’re always so unsupportive and you’re never on board with my projects.  Last week, you said you encouraged me to try new things, but that’s not true.  That’s not true at all!

Tom:  I knew you were going to bring up last weekend at your sisters.  I was waiting for you to bring it up.  I knew you were going to throw it back in my face.

Sonia.  Well, anyway.  It’s a wheel, you can move things around on it, including yourself.  That’s all I wanted to show you.

Tom:  Fine.

Sonia:  Fine.

I don’t feel like I’ve improved as a person over the past year.  I don’t think the opportunity to spend a lot more time with myself has been very helpful.  In fact, I’ve gone a bit feral.  I won’t ever be able to go back to a physical workspace again and I’m not sure I will be able to handle any social situations either.  I will need months of rehabilitation care work to settle me back into normal.  I will need a team of people to do role plays with me and show me case studies and take me gently, back to how life used to be.  Probably just as well that we’re never going back to normal, isn’t it?

Did you ever notice how Kate Bush’s songs smell of lemon trees?

I know you have a little life in you yet

I know you have a lot of strength left

I know you have a little life in you yet

I know you have a lot of strength left.

Yesterday I counted fifteen empty shops on Grafton Street. 

Yesterday I read an article in Gracia magazine stating that the Spring/Summer fashion was going to be very casual this year, and I thought, “no shit Grazia!”

Yesterday I finished reading “One Hundred Years of Solitude” and had another early night. 

Yesterday, when I saw the daffodils had returned to the park, I felt relieved.  I thought life is still magical, even with its oddness and fears.  I thought the daffodils are proof we’ve been around that sun again, and I welcomed them back in my mind.  Just sunlight and water have brought them back to us.

Welcome back daffodils, welcome back.