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

As I’m standing in front of the mirror, glancing over multiple parts of my body, starring back into my own eyes, thinking to myself, “Damn those are amazing!”  There’s a man pacing back and fourth just outside the door.  He’s nervous and anxious, waiting for my white lie to catch up to him.  I pick up my toothbrush, add my toothpaste, dampen with a little water and begin the process of cleansing.  As my right hand moves back and fourth across my teeth, he is still pacing like mad, muttering under his breath, “we  need to hurry up, let’s go, it’s getting late, what if he comes back and catches me.”  Inside I’m laughing, there’s nobody coming.  I’m relaxed, still hardly dressed in my T Shirt and shorts, fresh out of bed in fact.  He is completely dressed, shorts, boots, hat, and a shirt, his bags are packed and now he’s standing in the doorway, just watching me.  I glance through the mirror over at him, as he realizes my lack of hurry, a complete calmness arrives just as I spit, and put my toothbrush away.  Yeah, he’s still coming, but I’ll decide when you’re busted!