My mother, working towards her art history PhD, spent hours in a Yale library carrel. She used to cross her legs and dangle her shoe from one of her “adorable” feet—feet like those in Boucher’s nudes. Her shoe would sometimes fall off. One afternoon, the library’s rumored foot partialist, entranced by such a dainty morsel, nibbled on her toes. After that, my mother took her library books home.
When I was on my listening tour, when online dating first started, around 2003, I read hundreds of profiles and communicated in one way or another with dozens of men, and it seemed that everybody had a tic of some sort. Some were quite alarming, such as a fixation on his mother or a need for punishment, some were simply a pleasure in certain clothes or hairdos. I examined myself for my own tic--I'd say it was frolicking outdoors. Not exhibitionism where you want someone to see you, but in a secluded place. Similarly, doesn't almost everyone have a turnoff?
Love the wonderfully wacky descriptions and pervasive humor . Great writing!!
Wonderfully entertaining! I admire your guts for writing about this stuff!
My mother, working towards her art history PhD, spent hours in a Yale library carrel. She used to cross her legs and dangle her shoe from one of her “adorable” feet—feet like those in Boucher’s nudes. Her shoe would sometimes fall off. One afternoon, the library’s rumored foot partialist, entranced by such a dainty morsel, nibbled on her toes. After that, my mother took her library books home.
When I was on my listening tour, when online dating first started, around 2003, I read hundreds of profiles and communicated in one way or another with dozens of men, and it seemed that everybody had a tic of some sort. Some were quite alarming, such as a fixation on his mother or a need for punishment, some were simply a pleasure in certain clothes or hairdos. I examined myself for my own tic--I'd say it was frolicking outdoors. Not exhibitionism where you want someone to see you, but in a secluded place. Similarly, doesn't almost everyone have a turnoff?
Enjoyed this so much Ann -
I wonder....do women have such?
As in a black-and-white snapshot, Ann captures so much in just a few words: "and a face as wrinkled as a walnut."
I really like Toscanini cooking too--especially when accompanied by a fine Pinot Giglio. Love it!
Loved this post...attraction is complicated under the best of circumstances.
...partialism and not fetishism..Dostoevsky and Pinot Giglio...love reading the post!