In a leafy part of the suburb there is a beautiful lane with well-kept residences and flourishing gardens. This includes the household of Jim Olmeyer and Jim Berkley and their small dog Bitsy who tends to bark a lot. New to the vicinity however, is the Fitts family. The father, US Marine Colonel Frank Fitts sports a strict crew cut and a classic brown cardigan with a checkered shirt. Reading glasses on, he studies the newspaper at the kitchen table while his wife is preparing breakfast. The door bell rings. Frank: “Are you expecting anyone?” Mrs Fitts: “No. No!” Frank answers the door where Jim and Jim wait, both eager to greet their new neighbors to the community. Wearing suits and ties, there is a pleasant waft of fragrance as they present a wicker basket generously filled with homegrown vegetables, pasta and fresh, colorful flowers.
Jim O: “Hi!”
Jim B: “Welcome to the neighborhood.”
Jim O: “It’s just a little something from our garden.”
Jim B: “Except for the pasta. We got that at Fallaci ́s.
Jim O: “Right. It is unbelievably fresh. You drop it in the water and it´s done. Jim Olmeyer. Two doors down. Welcome to the neighborhood.”
Frank: “Colonel Frank Fitts US Marine Corps.
Jim O: “It’s nice to meet you. This is my partner.”
Jim B: “Jim Berkley, but people call me J.B.”
Frank: “Let’s cut to the chase, okay? What are you guys selling?”
Jim B: “Nothing. We just wanted to say hi to our new neighbors.”
Frank: “Yeah, yeah, yeah... You said you’re partners? So, what’s your business?”Jim O: “Well… he is a tax attorney.”Jim B: “And he is an anesthesiologist.”
The Fragrance Journey is based on a scene from the drama film American Beauty (1999), written by Alan Ball and directed by Sam Mendes.
