Public displays of submission (E)

Artwork courtesy of Nanshakh -
www.nanshakh.com/

There's something intensely powerful for me about subtle (and not so subtle) displays of submission to my Goddess in a public setting. Not really a matter of more special or less special than what we do at home, such as the locked leather collar at all times, foot kissing in the morning, or being at my Goddess' beck and call for whatever she desires... just different. Different in the actual actions, different in their shades of emotions and feelings, yet there are a continuation of the dynamics, a continuation of the belonging/ownership, and a continuation of the power exchange.

Our high-profile positions in our professional lives don't allow us to dispense with subtlety, outside of munches where we can be a little more daring, or closed events and private parties. And yet, our power exchange dynamics in public, as slight or as subtle as it may be, can be the source of much excitement, a high-level flow of D/s energy, and a reinforcement of our respectives roles in our relationship.

My Goddess wrote a few posts ago about a recent shopping trip where one of the saleswomen commented on my good behavior waiting on her, being helpful and supportive, and being pleasantly patient. The pride and satisfaction my Goddess felt in receiving those comments excited me to no end.

Out in the mainstream, I'm a no-nonsense kind of guy. Quiet but strong, cynical but polite, flexible but unyielding, my public personality could be seen by many as in opposition to what they would read here. But these traits of character are tempered and curbed by the dynamics of our relationship when I'm in the presence of my Goddess. Not that they disappear... far from it. I think my strength in the real-world makes my Goddess feel even more special about my submission and dedication to her. But my focus on everything "Her" puts me in a different mood, pulls up in me a different kind of behavioral programming.

On shopping trips, I try to be as helpful as I can. Patience is never an issue when serving or on duty to my Goddess. I'll go to get clothes in different sizes for her to try... I'll carry all the bags... I'll wait right outside the changing room to provide feedback. At restaurants, I'll make sure my Goddess' setting is right and ready for her... I'll pull out her cutlery... put her straw in her water or soft drink before I do mine. Of course, I try to maintain good manners in opening doors (including always opening her car door) and pulling up chairs for her, gestures that used to be signs of being well-raised, but now are seen almost as chivalry, and for us, are some of the little things that reinforce again the D/s dynamics. In areas where smoking is permitted, I will light her cigarettes. Lots of little gestures that not only fit into our relationship, but reinforce it, and actions that by their symbolism, maintain a certain level of energy and positive tension.

In more kink-oriented settings, my waiting on her is more obvious in terms of my body language, the way I wait on her and react to her requests, in the way I stand behind her during introductions or conversations, the way we hold or touch each other, or even in our near-continual displays of affection. From a more "vanilla" perspective, we've received many, many comments over time about our displays of affection and love toward each other, from "you look perfect together", "you look perfect for each other" and "we can feel/sense the intense love you have for each other" to occasionally "annoyingly lovely" and "you guys need to get a room".

Sometimes, the public displays of submission are things that nobody else in the world knows about. Although a bit of the excitement is that someone could see or find out... clearly there's also an element of exhibitionism present. But the most important factor is that my Goddess and I know what's going on, and she wants to have me do it, and I want to do it for her. Locked ankle cuffs under my pants through the work day... locked wrist cuffs under a jacket or fleece on cold days (non-work days)... my "mainstream" collar at all times I'm outside the house. And once, on a nature hike, we took a break to enjoy the view from a fairly isolated vantage point, and I spent half an hour with my hands bound.

I know... none of this is over-the-top, certainly in contrast to what we do behind closed doors. I would love to be totally open about the nature of our relationship for the world to see, to display my locked collar as a tribute to my Goddess at all times. But in our society as it is, discretion in such things is certainly the better part of valor, and it allows us to continue unimpeded a beautiful lifestyle that is immensely rewarding and fulfilling to both of us without undue pressure and ostracization. And those subtle moments of public displays of submission are made all the more intense by how delicate and nuanced they are.