"Transfixed by the inner sound."

"A spray of stars
hit the screen."

I have a small tube of a certain hand cream that always makes me feel like I'm fourteen again -- not because of its restorative properties, but because of its perfume. I'm not sure if it would be classified as fresh or floral; its fragrance can only really be described as "pink".

I know, and you know, that memory is closely tied to particular scents, but this is the first time that my sense of smell has catapulted me back to another decade. I remember so many details of that era, as clearly as if I was looking at a photograph or hearing an old friend's voice. The cream has stolen the exact notes of the Alberto Mousse Styling Foam I once used, and it places me back against the wall at the middle school graduation dance, waiting out a slow song and thinking about summer.

TRACK LISTING: Siouxsie & The Banshees, "Kiss Them For Me"