I began shaving when I was around thirteen. Why, you might ask? Not because I needed to but because I wanted to. I did have a small amount of peach fuzz on my face by that age, and my dad had a razor, shaving cream, and cologne. He also had one of those little round mirrors on a stand. One side had mirrored glass that magnified what I saw. That side made me look like I actually had enough to shave. My favorite part of shaving was splashing on some of Dad’s Old Spice after I finished. He had the two-bottle set. I can still see those bottles in my mind. They were each about four-inches tall. Round and tapered at the top, with a slide-in plug cap. The bottles were creamy white with a picture of a blue sailship. Above the ship were red cursive letters that said “Old Spice.” Under the ship in printed letters were the words “After Shave” on one bottle and “Cologne” on the other. I wasn’t so sure what cologne was, but I figured since I had shaved, I should splash some of that after shave on my face. My cheeks are still burning! Mama’s favorite question was, “Have you been in Daddy’s cologne again?” Dad didn’t care, but he did tell me I had better be careful shaving, or I might cut my ears off!” Eventually, I really did need to shave. I even got my own cologne. It was not Old Spice but Jade East, High Karate, and Brut.
Some people call it toilet water, smell good, or fragrance. Most just call it cologne. Do you know why? Well, because cologne came from Cologne. That would be Cologne, Germany, to be exact. On our recent boat ride down the Rhine, we went there. We saw the actual site where Johann Maria Farina, back in 1709, mixed his first bottles of Eau de Cologne, or Water from Cologne. It was a mixture of alcohol, water, and citrus oils. Much like Coke has become generic for soft drinks, cologne has become generic for perfumes marketed for men. The original concoction can still be bought, even at the original location. The original cologne is simply called 4711. The building is located at the House of 4711, at 4 Glockengasse, Germany.
A short walking distance from the House of 4711 and museum is the Cologne Cathedral. The twin towers, or spires, of this magnificent cathedral can be seen from much of the city. That’s because they rise 167 meters into the sky, or for we Americans, that’s 547 feet. It is the second-highest cathedral in the world. It was the tallest until a neighboring cathedral was built one cubit taller! Construction began on Cologne Cathedral way back in the thirteenth century. The dates vary between 1238 and 1264, but either way, that’s a long time for any building to still be standing. It is said to have taken over 600 years to complete the building, but that is not entirely true. There was a 300-year break in construction due to lack of funds. Much of the city was bombed during World War II, but the cathedral was spared. Even though it was hit by 14 bombs, the spires were spared because they were visible landmarks to the pilot’s naked eyes.
Much incense has been burned through the years in that house of God. The prayers of God’s people are said to be a sweet smell to His nostrils. How fitting, coming from the city of Cologne. May our lives be a sweet smell to Him!
Bill King, a Rainsville native, is a columnist in the Mountain Valley News and North Jackson Press newspapers. He is a writer, musician, and author. King can be reached at moc.oohayobfsctd@hcaerpkb.
