Trains

Sitting in the train again to Berne, the last time for the rest of this week. In my backpack sits again the mixed l’art pour l’art scent, but again slightly modified, diluted prematurely just to see (you remember?- the thing with the orris line). Although I felt beautiful with the scent on, there was one issue troubling me: The very start, the initial development of it. In the first impression on skin (not on paper) there was an edge coming probably from the black pepper I am using and eventually also a brownish-hard tip coming from the agarwood/vetiver in the back. Thus, I figured out it might be worth accentuating the citrus line in the top note, softening it a little bit more with bergamot (and Bergamot is quite helpful doing so: Softening and smoothening, a helpful quality similar to Jasmine, allowing to cheat just a little bit). I also added a touch more of the grapefruit, without it letting stand out, a bit more Hexylsalicylate, thus rounding the top up without interfering in the back and now I just hope.

While writing these lines I listen to Steve Reich’s Trains. Minimalistic, chords of violins, playing with recorded words from people, talking about trains, their memories, travelling from New York to Chicago, people riding in comfortable trains while Europe and the rest of the world was disappearing behind smoke and fire, in a storm that extinguished everyone being in its way. Jews, Sintis, homosexuals, men, women, children. The most touching scene in this play is “ the war is over” followed by “is it true”. This moment is heart breaking every time.

I listen while watching patches of green passing by. Cows, women with dogs, elegant highways with shiny cars in the morning sun. Steve Reich’s motivation, if I understand properly, was also to work on his feelings of guilt, as he was travelling innocently in these trains, being a Jewish boy in the US, while in Europe we lost the last bit of our innocence and the Jewish world ceased to exist.

Today, we still travel in comfortable trains, while part of this world is burning, far away, yet ….you may smell the smoke if you care. I send you peaceful wishes for tomorrow.