064 - The Flowers

There is a species of flower that only grows on public land in Calgary. Any flowers transplanted anywhere else will die in seconds. The plants are plain, white flowers streaked with blue. They have shot, thin stems and no fragrance. The flowers are always warm to the touch and can only be found in late spring. If you find a patch of them growing beneath a tree or in the shadow of a municipal building, pick them immediately. Never carry them next to your skin. Instead, wrap them in paper towel or cloth and carry them home.

Reduce the flowers to a fine powder by first drying them and then grinding them down to nothing with a mortar and pestle or blender. Store the resulting violet coloured powder in a small leather bag (no other material is safe) and carry it on you. The wheels of bureaucracy will turn smoothly for you. Forms will never be lost, more ID will never be required, and nothing will have to be filled out in triplicate. However, the powder’s odorlessness will eventually permeate your body, robbing you of your own scent and your sense of smell.

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