On my way out of my building this morning, I shared an elevator ride with a young woman who was obviously on her way to work. She said to me:
I feel like it's Saturday.
I replied:
Do you meant that you feel the way you typically do on Saturdays, or that you feel that today is Saturday?
Obviously annoyed, she replied:
I work on Saturdays.
Silence for the rest of the ride.
Spiros, 0; Stranger on Elevator, 1
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8 comments:
I don't see how her answer addressed your question, unless there are two suppressed premises along these lines:
SP1: When I have to work on Saturdays, I am in a bad mood and act like a crazy bitch.
SP2: exasperated eye roll
Q.E.D., elevator guy!
Krinos,
Sometimes a non-sequitur expresses utter disinterest in what one's interlocutor has said. That's what I take the "I work on Saturdays" to have been.
Funny, though, that she would have struck up the exchange in the first place.
Many years ago, back when I was a strapping young man, I received on a student evaluation "On the first day, I thought Professor [Spiros] was cute. And then he opened his mouth."
Maybe, your Stranger from Eleva. is a disciple of Parmenides and Zeno, and an exceedingly philosophical person (Sop. 216a).
You fucked up. She was inviting you to seduce her. And the proper response would have been: "Tell me more about your feelings."
OR:
You fucked up. She was inviting you to psychoanalyze her. And the proper response would have been to whip out a note book, lick the tip of your pencil, and say: "Tell me more about these 'feelings'".
Either way:
You fucked up.
I think, "I feel like it's saturday" means something like 'under the pavement- the beach!"
It's a sort of secular "Christ is risen", the answer to which is not "O Jeez!Where?" but "He is risen indeed!"
In this context- "I know exactly what you mean- or at least I did when I was your age- (wistful sigh)"
Soc. Then we must begin again and ask, What is piety? That is an enquiry which I shall never be weary of pursuing as far as in me lies; and I entreat you not to scorn me, but to apply your mind to the utmost, and tell me the truth . . . . Speak out then, ... and do not hide your knowledge.
Euth. Another time, Socrates; for I am in a hurry, and must go now.
I agree with the observations that she was hoping you'd ask her to explain her feelings more and/or for seduction. I applaud you for not giving in to this cheap ploy for attention.
I also find her come-on and response ridiculous. If she felt like it was a Saturday (the day she has to work) on a different day of the week, does that mean that Saturday is usually the ONLY day she works? If that's the case, it would seem natural for any non-Saturday she works to feel like a Saturday, but that's the only reason I can think of to make such a statement (whether it's meant as a come-on or not).
Mary,
Good hearing from you. Are you still a Libra?
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