The Thing About Brains
One of my favorite things about brains is when one thing, one small thing, reminds you of one other, very large thing.
A smell or a melody, even the laughter of a complete stranger
When I am asked, “what is your favorite smell?” it is rarely something that I actually enjoy smelling because of the scent, but rather a small that takes my muddled memory back to a place that I keep in the very back of my brain. My grandmother’s basement storage closet is one that comes to mind. My neighbor’s house next door to where I grew up. Nelda. I’ll never forget her no matter how much I drink. Her carpet was white; she had a painting of her self on her mantle. She had been in the air force. Not a general but some high rank; especially for a women back in the day. Must have been like WWII or
She had one of those ridiculous tiny keyboards everyone had in the 80’s with a ‘demo’ button that played the same song as everyone else’s.
Her back door was the same and my grandmothers’.
She drank martinis. I didn’t know that then, I just thought she really liked olives in her water in a funny shaped glass.
Her house always smelled a certain way. It, not just the house, but the whole situation always made me feel safe. As a kid, anyplace I felt safe was well appreciated and visited as often as possible.
Thanks Nelda.