I owe a response to LMagee’s brave foray into Hegel’s discussion of lordship and bondage. I’m also scheduled to write something of my own, purportedly on the form of Hegel’s argument (which may, as we all know, also require a few observations on the content… ;-P). I will try to get a reply together later today, hopefully soon to be followed by my own post. I had intended to work on both pieces earlier this morning, but was foiled in my attempts, for reasons, I must admit, that are making me reassess what had seemed, at the time, an innocent enough decision to relocate the reading group discussion to “my” coffee shop over the summer.
Admittedly, our regular reading group haunt is closed for the holiday, and so we need somewhere else to meet. And admittedly, I spend most mornings reading and writing quite peacefully and productively in my favourite coffee shop. The introduction of Hegel into this venue, however, has changed all of this. First, there was the unfathomable a capella musical performance that burst out during our discussion last week – completely unprecedented: I have no idea what possessed the wait staff.
And today!
I had arrived early, thinking to write my response to LM’s blog entry before our discussion began. I sat at “my” booth – which is situated in a dim corner at the back of the establishment. Almost at the back. There is only a small half-booth behind where I usually sit – unlit, too small for more than one person to sit comfortably, and without a good surface for perching cups or books. Occasionally, I’ve known staff members to sneak into the dark booth for a nap, but I’ve never known anyone actually to sit there. Until today.
Today, though, I was reading Hegel in the coffeeshop, and that obviously changes everything. A very affectionate couple decided that a small, dark, cushioned spot was exactly what they needed, and so in they tunnelled. As I tried to solider on with my reading, there were various affectionate noises, punctuated unaccountably by outbursts of “Don’t push me, asshole!” and then, a few minutes later, “No! I don’t want to look at you!”. Then things settled down again, and there were more affectionate noises. Perhaps what followed next would have occurred in any event, but it is certainly the case that the establishment’s unaccountable decision to play “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman” coincided with the couple’s noises escalating quite suddenly into realms well beyond my comfort zone, and I decided the better part of discretion, if certainly not valour, required my rapid flight to the front of the coffeeshop…
I eventually decided it was safe to return to my booth. LM arrived soon after, and I promised that, while I could not explain at the time, I would provide an account on the blog for why I haven’t yet written anything on bondage…
[...] Sensual Uncertainty (or: what happens when I read Hegel in coffee shops, part 2 – related somewhat to Veni… Veni…, which explains why no one would find my marginal notes on Phenomenology of Spirit useful) [...]