Ska, summer and smells
Summer seems to be approaching at last.
Yesterday, Saturday, was warm and fine; after initial cool and overcast skies the weather cleared into a glorious afternoon of sun and light winds.
Moonface and I went for a walk into Abbott's Leigh and around the Failand area. As we had planned "just a stroll" we took neither maps nor water so we predictably ended up slightly lost and rather thirsty. I' had been unprepared for the unusual warmth, so instead of wearing a loose shirt I had taken a thick, long-sleeved T-shirt then walked most of the way bare-chested and pink scalped as I caught the sun.
For some reason, my sense of small was heightened. A bank of forget-me-nots was intensely scented and the usual grassy and farmyard odours impinged much more than usual all afternoon.
In the evening, we went to see a Ska band at the Fleece, strolling down the Gloucester Road just at twilight. Again, the smells around us were intensified. On Castle Green, this was surreal as the cherry blossom was glowing brightly in the sodium lights, yet we were surrounded by the normal Saturday night stinks of chip-fat and distant kebabs. In the Fleece, my nose worked overtime. We were standing at the back of the hall, on the route to the loos so that everyone needing to empty their bladder (which, at a Ska gig, is nearly everyone) had to walk past us. The variety of odours was fascinating and not always repulsive. There were whiffs of body odour and sweat, beer and cigarettes, perfume and make-up, kebabs, garlic and coriander. And I smelled them, leaning closer rather than away as people pushed past just to make the most of this unusually intense sense that had arrived for the day.
As an aside, the main band (the Emperials) was fun. Not exceptional, but fun and loaud and competent at playing music to bop to. The cover versions were recognisable, so that singing along was fun, too. And we arrived home well after midnight.
:o)
Yesterday, Saturday, was warm and fine; after initial cool and overcast skies the weather cleared into a glorious afternoon of sun and light winds.
Moonface and I went for a walk into Abbott's Leigh and around the Failand area. As we had planned "just a stroll" we took neither maps nor water so we predictably ended up slightly lost and rather thirsty. I' had been unprepared for the unusual warmth, so instead of wearing a loose shirt I had taken a thick, long-sleeved T-shirt then walked most of the way bare-chested and pink scalped as I caught the sun.
For some reason, my sense of small was heightened. A bank of forget-me-nots was intensely scented and the usual grassy and farmyard odours impinged much more than usual all afternoon.
In the evening, we went to see a Ska band at the Fleece, strolling down the Gloucester Road just at twilight. Again, the smells around us were intensified. On Castle Green, this was surreal as the cherry blossom was glowing brightly in the sodium lights, yet we were surrounded by the normal Saturday night stinks of chip-fat and distant kebabs. In the Fleece, my nose worked overtime. We were standing at the back of the hall, on the route to the loos so that everyone needing to empty their bladder (which, at a Ska gig, is nearly everyone) had to walk past us. The variety of odours was fascinating and not always repulsive. There were whiffs of body odour and sweat, beer and cigarettes, perfume and make-up, kebabs, garlic and coriander. And I smelled them, leaning closer rather than away as people pushed past just to make the most of this unusually intense sense that had arrived for the day.
As an aside, the main band (the Emperials) was fun. Not exceptional, but fun and loaud and competent at playing music to bop to. The cover versions were recognisable, so that singing along was fun, too. And we arrived home well after midnight.
:o)
posted by Moses at
7:58 am
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