Fashioning the Body: Versions of the Citizen, the Self, and the Subject

There were two types of bodies in the bookstore, one more restricted than the other. One type seemed restricted to intentional (though often slow) movements among the shelves with their eyes on the products. The store was divided into sections selling different types of products. Generally, this first type of person entered the store, went to a specific section, selected a product, and took it to the front counter. Alternately, they would leave without selecting a product. I observed one person in the clothing section move to another section, but not after selecting a product or two and carrying it to the new section.
The second type of body was identifiable as employees, as they had access to employee-only areas (behind the front counter and the help desks). They were less restricted. Instead of picking up products from the shelves, they would often approach a shelf with items in hand and leave them on the shelves. They weren’t restricted to keeping their eyes on the shelves. In fact, they generally watched the first type of person. They would move quickly from section to section. They also interacted frequently with their fellow employees and occasionally the other people in the store.
As an observer, I found that I felt awkward about my actions. I needed to look around the store and at the other people in it. I needed to wander aimlessly from section to section without ever picking up an object to purchase. In some ways, these were actions available to the employees, though I was clearly not one. I had no specific tasks to accomplish (like stocking shelves), and I did not have access to the spaces for employees. However, I was clearly not a customer either. I felt that my presence was intrusive and awkward, as none of the bodies in the bookstore (other than those of my fellow observers) were doing what my body was doing.