The Perfume Bottle

by KIm Bolduc-Bartlett
(China, Maine)

The perfumes were almost grouped by the decades, the tin of Patchouli and small bottle of Jovan Musk Oil from the 70’s.

The midnight blue bottle of “Ispahan” was still in the front row, beside the dusting powder and the bottle of “Obsession”; both which I also owned.

It was in the 90’s when she started buying L’effleur perfumes and bath powders…she told me she didn’t really like the perfume…. as much as she liked the floral boxes that they came in.

I saw the bottle in the back corner, it was taller than the other perfume bottles and the pinkish-brown color of the content, told me that it was much older than the rest. I picked it up and asked her if she was ever going to throw it out.

In a cracked voice, she told me, “That’s the last thing your father bought me before he died.” She has been keeping that bottle of perfume since 1964.