corner-sitting and other in-betweens
And now for something completely introspective. I was sitting on the subway with my backpack on, the rear protrusion crammed into the corner made by the forward-facing subway seat and the train wall, when I realized that no one else sits this way.
When seated in a cafe, as I am right now, I most enjoy chairs next to the wall. I make a corner out of the seat back and the wall, and sit with my legs at a 45-degree angle facing out of the seating arrangement. I could be sitting there for 30 seconds or 2 hours, same posture. In fact, I’ve been sitting here for an hour and a half, with a bit of a half-twist in my torso to square my arms with the keyboard.
So, I suppose I’m weird, and I wonder what the compulsion / habit is all about. Normal people take off their bags, and tuck in their chairs. Normal people that accompany me worry that I’m not comfortable and encourage me to take off my bag and/or tuck in my chair. But the truth is, I’m already at my most comfortable in that in-between state.
Could be part of a subconscious refusal to commit to the situation of being either fully seated or ready to go. After all, you have to turn your whole body an extra 45 degrees to sit square into the seat, and then pull the chair in. And when you’ve done that, you can’t just stand up; you have to scoot the chair back about a foot (often requiring you to look around to make sure you’re not about to bump into someone or something), and then turn out. What a hassle.
It’s part of why I enjoy wearing side-bags and belt-pouches as opposed to carrying handbags. Handbags have to be stashed somewhere while you’re sitting, and then remembered upon leaving. It’s an extra step between being settled in and being able to leave, a step I don’t care to take.
Am I seeking efficiency or just trying to be ready for anything? Hm.
There’s also the simple self-effacement explanation, i.e. "leave me alone, I’m reading my sci-fi novel." I almost always chose the back corner seat in class, so that I could read books rather than be bored out of my mind. Perhaps corner-sitting has simply become my Way.
This "London Fog" tea latte at Starbucks isn’t too bad. It’s a strong-brewed Tazo Earl grey in (soy) milk with some sweetener added. Way too sweet, of course.
