Now you're working, building a memory...

I have really vivid sense memories. Certain things, smells mainly, transport me to crystal-clear places and moments in the past.

Today was one such event.

The smell of cold. It's incredible. When you breath in with your mouth, and you can almost taste the cold. It's a wonderful thing. That's why I gave up cinnamon gum for winterfresh. Yeah, it sounds stupid, but try it. Chew a piece of winterfresh gum while breathing through your nose. Then, close your eyes and breath in through your mouth.

Quick: what month is it? My point exactly.

Anyway, the smell/taste of cold. So I'm sitting in my cubbicle (no typo, I call it the CUB-icle), when a gust of cold first floor air finds its way through the elevator to the four of us up here in the tower. And instantly, I'm in tenth/eleventh grade. I'm walking, in jeans, Parker polo shirt, and a jacket (probably my old denim/canvas mix) with a group of CCCS comrades. We're making our way up from the (Wilkinson's?) van, walking toward the entrance to the Galleria**. It's December, and chilly. And I'm excited, because before us is a day of window-shopping, ice-skating, and weak attempts at catching the attention of certain female classmates. Me and Brent, Nathan and Josh, Mike and Phillip, Mark Bice flirting relentlessly with Becky, Sarah J. and Cynthia talking, Mr. J. and Mrs. Wilkinson, taking the lead. We're walking uphill (on the second story incline of the parking garage).

By the end of the day, I will have not gotten Becky to notice me, but I will have purchased a "limited edition" issue of Beckett Magazine celebrating the career of "retired" superstar Michael Jordan (whom I didn't even like, but I considered the purchase an "investment"). I will have eaten a large slice of pizza at Sbarro's, watched people skate, marvelled at how beautiful Becky was, and probably dropped a couple bucks on arcade games. And then we'll go home, with no homework, until finals, the following week.

It was a good day. A day without worry.

----

I have the strong desire to go to the Galleria this afternoon/evening. But I won't. Because if I go by myself, I'll be very lonely. And the disappointment of not being able to relive the memory will displace any fun I may have there.

I have another memory of the Galleria. Of my being stupid and pig-headed and making a very special person cry. One of quite a few memories like that. But I keep those to myself.

Anyway. There you go. Winterfresh, smell/taste of cold, memory. Have a good evening, friends.




**The Galleria was Houston's premier shopping mall. Three stories, ridiculous price hikes, and an ice-skating rink year-round made this mall THE place to go for all-day holiday school outings. The Galleria area of Houston is known for its high-end shopping and premier dining (including the renowned Capitol Grille). Unfortunately, progress marches on, and the reputation of the Galleria mall has waned in recent years, especially with the construction and completion of Houston's new supa-dupa-mall, Katy Mills (part of the nationwide "Mills" chains, which have several other malls with the EXACT SAME LAYOUT AND DESIGN in other parts of the country). Since then, while the area around the Galleria has stayed at the cutting edge of consumer technology, the mall itself has begun to lose its former lustre. Like most things.