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.
"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.
