The aroma exuded by a piece of small cake dipped into tea, takes Marcel Proust, the 19th century French novelist, back to thoughts and memories of his early childhood. Sometimes a certain smell can evoke an intense and emotional memory from your childhood or a certain song can remind you of your questionable music taste from your teenage years. Little is known about how this works and what connections our brain cells make, though in recent years research has begun to unfold the mystery of how sense memories work and what affect they have on people (Campen, 2014).
Cannot be truer! The pitter-patter sound of raindrops on the rooftop, the heavenly smell of fresh earth as the rain hits the ground, the puddles formed on the road turning into a rivulet as it flows in gay abandon towards an unknown source, carrying with it paper boats, tugs a chord in my heart as I picture myself, a little girl partaking in the delight. The smell of new books and clothes take me back to the book stores and the shopping centres, a rare family treat in the days of yore. The modern-day drive-in theatre reminds me of movies in an open ground under a breezy, moonlit sky, with mats laid down earlier in the day, to reserve the seating space. The aroma of hot potato chips brings to mind the homegrown uprooted tapioca, sliced fine and fried in big open frying pans. Not to forget the fun of cooking food in milk tins and serving on little banana leaves under the shade of the Ashoka tree or tearing away the stalk of the freshly cut sugar cane savagely, juice trickling down the corner of the mouth, or playing hide and seek, even resorting to the hens’ coop, frightening the chicks out of their wits and sending them scuttling and clucking aloud!
And what about the pocket money earned through running errands or scrubbing the floor and in the bargain, being splashed not only with soapsuds but heavy bumps too as we swished, swashed our way on the slippery floor. Add to this, washing the neighbour’s car, weeding the garden and cleaning the window panes, to earn the extra scout’s or guide’s badge! Holidays were glorious days as we cycled, played rounders on the plains, competed to finish the Enid Blyton series, went on treasure hunts and gave theatrical representations of Shakespeare in oversized clothes and flowing robes trailing behind. Or raced up the sandy shores after splashing about in the cool glistening waters, to flop down by the rocks and savour sardine sandwiches and sip ice cream soda under a scorching sun. Or the days when we would quietly slip away to the neighbour’s house to watch ‘Lassie’ or ‘Mission Impossible’!
Another favourite past time used to be forming secret clubs fashioned after the Enid Blyton adventure series, with meetings in hideouts, complete with badges and passwords to gain entry and pretending to solve mysteries! And who can forget the cross-country races in school that would take one across meadows, up hills and down dales, panting and puffing, with the sole purpose of finishing the race. Or the fair where you sold the delicacies you made yourself, pride writ large on the face!!
Alas! Do these really belong to a bygone era?
