Literature

What is SO shameful about asking a lady, whose job it is to work in a bookshop, where to find titles including 'Confessions of a Working Girl', 'Submission', and 'The Surrender'?

Nothing. And so I did.

In fact I returned to her time and again as these titles popped into my head only the other week. Of these, two I have read an another I hadn't. The reason behind my asking her wasn't to humiliate her, or to embarrass myself, or to 'rock' the old mama's boat. Although, as an occupational hazard, I can think of much worse.

And no, there is no 'criteria' by which I select these unsuspecting 'victims'.

She who agrees to work in a bookshop should be open, from the very start, to the possibility of her job requiring her to venture into unknown territory.

The third time I asked her for an author's name, she led me straight to a table on the second floor. In the middle was a sign 'love and erotica'.

'If you're looking for THOSE sorts of books, you'll probably find a wider selection here' she said.

'Oh! How delightful!' I concluded.

By which time she'd disappeared.

Now, I have many friends who read THESE sorts of books, however very few of them would be comfortable enough to ask where exactly the erotica section was.

Could it possibly be that they are scared of what the lady behind the counter might think? Or might it be that they are too embarrassed at themselves.

Either way, I don't see why there should be any difference in asking for a book on 'Italian Cookery made easy' and 'Tantric sex for beginners'. After all, it's all recreation.

People exist in order to make assumptions. If you didn't know this, know you do.

Imagine what they will, say what they will once I've left the shop, curse how they will, pray for me even. It really doesn't matter.

Because, all said and done, in the evening, it is I who'll be stretching the sexual mind as they fall asleep beside their lover of twenty years whose body really does end at the groin. And the next day, she'll come in that little bit early just so she can read whatever book it was 'that filthy boy wanted, yesterday'.