Nadila had got herself a vial of ylang ylang from the local outlet in the chain at the West Mall, about a third the price of that down on the Great Southern Land (Rp95k). It stood to reason as the kenanga flower was native to the region, not uncommon in Ni’s kampung. Just turned sweet sixteen on the first day of the Muslim New Year of 1440, Ni’s adopted daughter. Ni had wanted to buy her perfume as the girl had requested, but for obvious reasons had lacked confidence. At school the girls were forbidden to wear too much perfume. Back in the day, even in the days of teaching at what was then still predominantly a lower middle-class neighbourhood in Melbourne, there had been no need of prohibition. Who in the heck could afford scent or perfume? High price to pay for a newspaper trudging through that mall, especially to find the cupboard bare. (The street vendor on Sabang was closed an entire fortnight for the holiday.) The JakPost might resume next week, the girl at the bookshop guessed, for what that was worth. Four escalators up, down and then across the tiles by the stores. Pull & Bear. One day that fashion house’s name would be investigated; the advertising budget for it must be astronomical. Pull the bear’s doodle.... Idiocy made no never mind in advertising. Shoppers ran the gauntlet stupefied in the main. This was the living. What was to do? Almost without exception groups and couples. These were outings like to the earlier parks and seaside. The nearby unwashed in the slums could not enter here; they never attempted the venture. Therefore the roadside peeing, by the men at least; the women got themselves completely out of sight somewhere. Starbs. There was satisfaction on the faces of all the customers at Starbs, phones making them smile on the comfy chairs and lounges. It was not possible to sit quietly at Starbs unoccupied. Most of the outlets were unknown, a good number not having penetrated to the Great Southern Land, or re-branded for that market perhaps. A chap at the watch counter near the bookshop and scents hefted a desired piece with a crowded face; from five paces one could tell the load of value in that mechanism within. Selling in the hall like that there could not have been much of jewels; still in Indo they were highly valuable articles. Malls-goers in this corner of the world were connoisseurs of horological craft. In the offices and business circles one was undressed without the accoutrement. (What hopes poor old Marx had invested in the example of the independent Swiss craftsmen!) Twelve hours wear on the wrist by say 35 years those weighty items would deliver more strain than for the tennis players who advertised them. Was the ylang ylang so cheap because of dilution? Ni herself agreed she had no need for scent; the better quality soaps were more than good enough for her. The night before the former orphan had complained that her birth mother cared nothing for her. The birth mother had spent a week in Magalengka before delivery of the baby there. Ni had a photograph taken of the pair of them, herself and this woman. In sixteen years since there had been no attempted contact with the girl. Nevertheless Nadila was lucky to have a loving mother, Nene and extended family. Understandably, the other thought of abandonment arrowed in occasionally. A kampung mum was of course all at sea purchasing perfume. Though Ni had never bought herself perfume, she was still happy to indulge her daughter a little. The three essential oils brought from Oz had more or less been completely emptied. Next week some more would be bought on the 3rd floor of the West Mall of Grand Indo, perhaps one for Ni too for her to use herself.
Jakarta, Indonesia
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