Topical Guide 446
Mark Dorset
Reservations Recommended, Chapter 2
Self-Presentation (or Presentation of the Self): Devil-May-Care Bon-Vivants
Grandma’s clutching a drink of some kind, with a napkin wrapped around the bottom of the glass. The others seem to be urging her to order a lobster regardless of the expense.
Self-Presentation (or Presentation of the Self): Self-Denying Elder
When the waitress arrives at their table, everyone but Grandma orders right away — lobster. Grandma still fusses.
Self-Presentation (or Presentation of the Self): Outspoken Rebel
One of them glances around the room now and then, probably because she’s embarrassed by the others; she is clearly the daughter of the woman who wants to be in charge, a girl, or young woman, in her twenties, the best-looking person at the table. She has some of Grandma’s features, but on her they look good. She’s playing at being “different,” …
“Bring her a goddamned lobster,” says the pretty girl.
See also: Self-Presentation (or Presentation of the Self) TG 427; Voice of Reason, Man of Action, Madman, the Engagé and the Dégagé TG 430; Altruist TG 443
[to be continued on Thursday, March 9, 2023]
Issue Number 17 of The Babbington Review is now on Substack.
Have you missed an episode or two or several?
You can begin reading at the beginning or you can catch up by visiting the archive or consulting the index to the Topical Guide.
You can listen to the episodes on the Personal History podcast. Begin at the beginning or scroll through the episodes to find what you’ve missed.
You can listen to “My Mother Takes a Tumble” and “Do Clams Bite?” complete and uninterrupted as audiobooks through YouTube.
You can ensure that you never miss a future issue by getting a free subscription. (You can help support the work by choosing a paid subscription instead.)
At Apple Books you can download free eBooks of Little Follies and Herb ’n’ Lorna.
You’ll find overviews of the entire work in An Introduction to The Personal History, Adventures, Experiences & Observations of Peter Leroy (a pdf document) and at Encyclopedia.com.