Saturday, September 25, 2010

Eau du Dimestore

On a recent flight to Rome to join my fiancé and meet his parents, I was seated next to a glamorous woman, with diamonds studding her ears, and a pear-shaped pendant dangling at her throat.  Elegant aqua sleeves peeked from beneath her designer jacket.  I figured her to be a model or something, she was so gorgeous.  And her cologne, my goodness, was like romance in a bottle.  Just one whiff and I was transported to a tropical island paradise of palm trees swaying in the sultry breezes of the Mediterranean.

I was only here because I'd received a last minute upgrade to first class, which definitely had its perks.  I had a long flight ahead, and decided a glass of bubbly was just the thing to relax with.  Plus, now I was dying to know what her cologne was.  Maybe I could work it into the customary chit chat of a long flight.  Somehow it just didn't seem right to start with "Excuse me, but what is that delectable cologne you're wearing"? So instead I tried this, "Hi, I'm Charlotte.  That is a lovely pendant."  "Grazie", she replied, touching the diamond, "I am Carlotta.  I believe we have something in common.  Carlotta is the Italian equivalent of Charlotte." 

We talked about the places we'd been, but mostly she talked about the places she'd been.  I was totally in awe of this woman.  She was educated, well-traveled, and apparently wealthy to boot.  I would have felt rather insignificant in her company, had it not been for her completely down home personality.  She was returning home to Italy from a business meeting in the States.  She was, in fact, the granddaughter of the founder of the famous perfume factory, Acqua di Parma, in Parma, Italy and was working in the marketing and promotions department.  Now I could ask her about her cologne, although I had pretty much guessed what it had to be.  "That would be Acqua di Parma you're wearing, isn't it?  "Sì", she answered with pride.

Photo courtesy of Magpie Tales
"I've heard of it, such a marvelous fragrance, but at nearly $50 an ounce, I think I'll be wearing Eau du Dimestore for a while yet."

"No, non possiamo avere che" she exclaimed, dismayed that I would be wearing anything less than the finest cologne, the symbol of Italian elegance.  "Here mio caro, I carry these to present to the wives of our business partners", as she reached into her travel bag and pulled out two small bottles.  I stifled a squeal of delight as I thanked her profusely. "Nettare di Dio", she whispered quietly, as the flight attendant brought two more glasses of champagne.  "What a way to fly", I sighed, leaning back and sipping my champagne.

A work of fiction written for Magpie Tales #33

20 comments:

  1. nice. love those chance meetings, esp when so many things had to come together to make it happen...and probably because you took and interest in her as well...i hope she enjoys the spoils of her generous nature...smiles. nice magpie!

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  2. .... merci, merci. Quite the lovely Magpie ~ we should all be so lucky!

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  3. very enjoyable read...chance meetings are magic as many times they lead to surprises!

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  4. Always talk to your seatmates :)

    Rene

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  5. Loved this magpie, Linda! A delight from beginning to end!

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  6. Check out a different view of Acqua di Parma...

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  7. And the only thing I've ever gotten from people next to me on airplanes was a cold or the flu.

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  8. A delightful read - it sounds more truth than fiction!

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  9. I want to go there and do that! Wow!

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  10. Hi Linda .. lovely magpie tale - so well written as to what could happen .. the upgrade, and the perfume .. I can smell the scent (even over my morning coffee!)

    Enjoy your week .. Hilary

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  11. Brian Miller- Glad you like this one. Proves anything is possible.

    Helen- Thank you.

    kathew- Thanks. You never know what lies around the next corner.

    Rene- Indeed.

    Talon- Thank you. Glad you liked it.

    Berowne- My Mom always said I wasn't like everyone else.

    Tarheel Rambler- Eeew, sorry!

    Tumblewords- Ah, but there's the joy of fiction, it can be anything you want it to be.

    Linda Medrano- Yeah, me too!

    Hilary- Thank you so much, glad you stopped by.

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  12. Chance encounters can be full of wonderful surprises! Filled with the scent of a beautiful memory.

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  13. Olfactorially delicious! I presume the champagne wasn't booze di dimestore either!

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  14. This was a delightful take on the prompt, Linda. What a serendipitous aromatic meeting!

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  15. Linda,

    I liked your take on this picture. It was fun to read about this particular chance meeting.

    Charlotte sounds like a fun character. Any chance you'll give her more pages? I'd like to get know her better...I sense she has a marvelous sense of humor or, at least, has learned to enjoy life's unusual moments.

    Well written, as "usual" :~)

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  16. Reflections- Yes, they certainly can.

    Stafford Ray- The bubbly was the real thing - no wait, that's Coke!

    Carrie Burtt- Thank you.

    Willow- Thank you. There's a surprise around every corner.

    Sara- Thank you. As for Charlotte's reappearance, you never know with my characters. I may just pull her out again if the right occasion arises.

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  17. Oh, that was delightful! Is that perfume for real? I've never heard of it. Of course, I never wear perfume anymore. I don't know why. I think it's because there are too many people with allergies these days. That, and I'm lazy as all get out. And I spend most of my days at home working in my pajamas.

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  18. Very nice. U were in the right place at the right time.

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