Token Fragrance - Thai Tea made w/Ceylon Black tea, cardamom milk, brown sugar boba, Thai Coconut, star anise, creamy condensed milk, and clove.
 
This scent is based on my recipe for Thai Tea with notes of black tea in coconut milk and condensed milk, cardamom, clove, and brown sugar boba pearls. I also add a touch of star anise.

What is a token? To me, a token is some little piece of something that has its own representation of something else. For many years, I’ve always kept a spare angel or cross token made from metal, glass, or anything I can find in resemblance to that. Sometimes, you come across people in life that may need a token of kindness. I’ve come across several. Sometimes, it’s persons who are sad. For instance, I was in a bookstore a few years ago and saw this woman crying. It was evident she was upset and sad about something. After sitting and drinking my coffee, I took an angel token out, walked up to her and placed it in her hand. Although, we spoke different languages, she immediately knew what it represented.

There are other times when I may see a person who appears, generally very happy, a person who is listening to others while cleaning up a counter or something, and just being receptive to other people. Nice, happy people deserve things once in awhile too because they come across as angels to others who may need them.

But, there was one time when I was riding on the subway and didn’t have a token. I was in the very end car because there wasn’t room anywhere else. There was a very old gentleman in a wheelchair in the car. He had pushed himself up as close as he could get, to the edge of the end. He appeared homeless and unkempt. So, I decided to sit as closely as I could to him. I wanted to be out of everyone’s way too. But, there were two women sitting across from us and although they were speaking a foreign tongue, it was obvious the cruelty they were displaying towards him. They kept fanning their noses and making “phew” remarks. These were grown women who were acting like very young children. The man didn’t respond to them and acted like he wasn’t listening to, or hearing them but, anyone could see he heard every word. My heart hurt for him. As soon as another seat became available, the two women moved to it. I say, good riddance. Ordinarily, I’d have given him my last token, and probably more but instead, when I got up to leave I touched his arm. This probably wouldn’t be the most recommended thing to do in NYC but, he and l gave one another a glance that was just “understood”, for no better word for it.

So, a token can be anything. I’m all about them. I try to always send at least some kind of token in orders, just to represent a scent but mainly because there are some people who never receive gifts in life, and just maybe they deserve something, even though it may not be much.