Conversations with Mr. Jenkins - Part 1

Conversations with Mr. Jenkins

An Ongoing Dialogue with an errant Body Part

∞∞∞∞

Part 1

In Which Poor Alan is Led Down a Fragrant Country Path Where There be Demons and Vampires

I’ve been having some trouble with my hands lately. For some reason, the tendons seem to be contracting on their own. Sometimes, one finger in particular will get so tight that it will curl down close to my palm and lock in that position, and will not straighten without help.

Last evening, before the discussion group meeting, one of the group members graciously gave me a brief healing session. (No “instantaneous cure” was effected.) Afterwoods, we spoke about the issue. She made the interesting suggestion that I attempt to “talk to it”, and see what I get in response. She suggested that I give the little guy a name – say, “Mr. Jenkins”, and just converse with “him”.

I’ve heard of such things, and done even stranger ones, so what the heck.

So, as I went off to dreamland last night, I suggested to that deeper part of the mind (the one that causes all the trouble), that I might have some intercourse with said entity during the night, and remember it upon awakening. Though I roused during the night a couple times, enough to remember my mission, I got nothing of note.

When morning came, and my dear Georgie (Felix Lovabilicus) was curled up next to my head and letting out his “time for breakfast!” comments every 30 seconds or so, my mind returned to Mr. Jenkins.

Aha! This time, there was something clearly bouncing in my mind, a response to my request: What did I get? “Frangipani.”

Yep.

Up until just now, I only vaguely recognized the name. I had thought it was some kind of snooty European candy or some such. Wikipedia tells me it’s actually another name for plumeria, the lovely flower that you get lei-ed with, when you visit Hawaii. I’ve never actually gotten lei-ed (and it’s also been a bit of a spell for the other spelling, though that’s another matter) but it seems like it would be a nice thing. Especially since it seems typically accompanied by a friendly kiss on the cheek by one of those lovely island lassies…

I actually have one – the plant that is, not the lass -- though it has never shown a whole lot of enthusiasm for my company. At the moment, it has just a few tiny sprouts for leaves, it being naturally leafless, or nearly so, in the winter. It usually leafs out well in the summer, though it will drop them readily if it gets too dry.

So what the heck does this have to do arthritis/tendonitis/whatever? If we are to follow this mad method to its logical conclusion, it only makes sense to see what this odd little reference could mean.

So, hmm. What do we know about “Frangipani”, now that we have the Wikipedia entry in front of us? There’s quite a lot here, now that we look:

1- The genus…[is] native to Mexico, Central America, Southern India and Venezuela… [Relevant? Not so much…]

2- From Mexico and Central America, Plumeria has spread to all tropical areas of the world, especially Hawaii, where it grows so abundantly that many people think that it is indigenous to that island system. [Well, there’s a metaphor here, at least.]

3- ....[possesses] poisonous, milky sap… [OK, now we’re getting somewhere… But no, unless I’m poisoning myself? No. Nothing new being ingested lately.]

4- Frangipani can also be found in Eastern Africa, where they are sometimes referred to in Swahili love poems. [!!? My DEAR Mr. Jenkins! Note to self: Be alert for odd sounds in dreams. May be Swahili. Check town library for Swahili/English dictionary.]

5- Plumeria flowers are most fragrant at night in order to lure sphinx moths to pollinate them. The flowers have no nectar, and simply dupe their pollinators. The moths inadvertently pollinate them by transferring pollen from flower to flower in their fruitless search for nectar. [! Now THAT is interesting. Am I being “duped”? A hopeless search? “Flowers with no nectar”?? I like that one. Hmmm… ]

6- [They are ] easily propagated by taking a cutting of leafless stem tips in Spring… [Maybe I could grow a whole new hand!]

7- In Mexico, the Nahuatl (Aztec language) name for this plant is "cacalloxochitl", which means "crow flower." [“Nahuatl”. Just love to say that. “Nahuatl”. “Nahuatl”. Fun for the tongue. Also fun is that these are the guys that invented “Xocoatl” – cocoa mixed up with chili pepper and God-knows what else. OK, and they liked to cut out the hearts of their enemies while they were still beating. – and you thought a coffee buzz was bad? Would it be a Bad Thing to have chocolate ice cream for dessert after Mexican food? Surely the government would have made it illegal by now. But I digress…]

8- … in southern and southeastern Asia, … in local folk beliefs [the plants] provide shelter to ghosts and demons. [? Oh???!!]

9- The scent of the Plumeria has been associated with a vampire in Malay folklore, the pontianak. [Maybe it’s OK if I don’t smell like one? Never did smell much like a flower. Never was big on Pontiacs, either.]

10- They are associated with temples in both Hindu and Buddhist cultures… [“My body is a temple…”]

11- In modern Polynesian culture, it can be worn by women to indicate their relationship status - over the right ear if seeking a relationship, and over the left if taken. [Always had trouble with that Right/Left thing. – And irate husbands are notoriously bad at understanding that dyslexia is an actual malady.]

12- In Bangladeshi culture most white flowers, and particularly plumeria … are associated with funerals and death. [“I’m not dead yet!” -- Whack.]

So how about my own, private experience with the plant?

13- Well, like I said, they were never real happy growers for me. I started with three. Now only one left. They need to dry out sufficiently, or they rot. [Symbolic meaning for that?? Been a while since I did any serious drinking. Should have stopped rotting by now.]

14- I got them originally at the flower show as “sticks”. Fat green cigars. Stick it in the dirt, water, pray, and go. [Maybe I’m not doing one of these properly?]

15- And they will drop their leaves readily if too dry. [That Balance Thing again. Always a challenge, that one.]

Thoughts, anyone?