The Follerme

Well, the local Community Council meeting went far better than expected. Mrs Ringroad did not take up the chair as expected, nor even attend the AGM, but sent in her letter of resignation; one could feel the relief in the room, and DS stepped into the role smoothly, absolutely untroubled by her decision. In my mind remains the figure of her wandering off alone in the dark after the ringroad plan was kiboshed; maybe I am projecting feelings of loneliness on to her, maybe the real problem is that she wants what she wants and anyone who doesn't give it to her is her enemy. Anyway, all the sympathy I can muster won't make me a hypocrite about this; I don't want her to be unhappy but the council meeting was lighter for her absence. Her husband is still there in his capacity as local councillor, but everything about his approach is more measured, thicker-skinned, balanced.

The CC was looking for new people to fill old positions; one is planning officer. Now, they've had their eye on R for a while. The lady who started the petition to stop the ringroad asked him plainly if he would like to join, and he shook his head. He's working all the hours god sends as well as being a godsend to his - let's bare and bear it just for a second - rather ill wife, to take on any community council role would just heap more work on his head. I don't doubt his ability, and his rather ill wife will not always be this way. Still, it's a lot of work even for his sturdy spirit. But in that room, the strangest thing happened. When the role was announced, a sort of stillness fell over everybody and they all looked at him. Not all directly... I don't know how to describe this...but even the people not looking at him were looking at him. The expectation in the air was palpable. I looked at him too, with what I hoped was an expression saying Don't let them pressgang you if you don't want this... Then the suggestion was mooted that our little sub-committee as a group take on the role, and we agreed. Realistically I think this is most likely to fall on his shoulders, along with those of a very excellent and capable friend. I will do my best to help, knowing I am not the most efficient worker in the provenance of the real. Anything that's to do with planet Earth is mostly beyond my ability. Still, here we are.

But what struck me most was the way people look to R. He does have a touch of what Riddley Walker calls the follerme. I noticed the Doyenne of Local Government smiling, quite a nice smile, and looking across at the retiring Plannning Officer. R's had their approval for a while now, and it's not just that he stands up and says he will help. There's something indefinable about him. He tells me it's his job, that it's what he does, but do people look like they can do what they do? He has a kind of confident but not bullish Captain of the Enterprise air about him. I would like to have that, but only if I was that, and it's just not my nature.

Afterwards, a local landowner came up to me and offered us the walk of his land up above the town so that we can look down and across at it, get proper bearings. It's a kind, useful offer, and I think we should take this up before he has to move his livestock into the fields now empty.

Molecule Tales

ISO E Super, also known as Tetramethyl acetyloctahydronaphthalene, OTNE, Timbersilk, and Amberlan, is one of the most commonly used aromachemicals in the world. If you've ever smelled Eternity by Calvin Klein, that underlying scent is what we are talking about. It's woody, amber-like, a bit sweet. It's basically faux cedar, no trees harmed.

But hats off to Escentric Molecules for making this note the basis of an immensely successful marketing campaign. Escentric Molecules 01 'celebrates the hyper-abstraction of ISO E Super'... what is a hyper-abstraction I wonder? Apparently this scent is something you may not notice yourself but that will delight others because of the way it reacts with your skin. However, as all perfumes react with your skin, this is like someone saying you are going to enjoy the soup they make because of its special down-the-throat pouriness. EM01 = pencil shavings for around £100 per 100 ml.

However, one claim that does get made by perfumistas is that this really works as a layering perfume, adding to sillage and longevity. Bored by it within 40 minutes, I decided to try it with another tester, a big hoofing monster, Amouage Interlude Woman.

I can't even properly identify the notes in AIW. It's a thing of glory and terror. There's amber, there's nuts, there's... look, I don't know. But it's probably safe to say that in the orchestra of perfumery, this thing's the tuba. Gotta respect it.

Anyhoo, sprayed on top of dull old EM01, the result was quickly gorgeous, like unbaked cake dough without being too sweet, plus the odd occasional slightly weird herbal blast. When it gave way - and it took a while, those reports were right - the result was a very pleasant incense scent that managed to stay away from non-descript smokiness. Impressive. But you're generally looking at upwards of £300 for AIW at 100 ml, so this combination hits £400 if one is using equal amounts. That's a plane ticket to somewhere excellent and anyway my heart rebels at the idea of funding Escentric Molecules' sheer BS. So nope.