Janathon 2012 Day 12: Rituals

Janathon 2012 Day 12: Cycle - 23 miles, Time 1hr 45min, Weather - blustery

Today's ride was a big loopy shopping trip, using the bike rather than going by car. First Watford, then on the way back I diverted to buy some coffee from Smiths, which roasts and supplies just about any bean you could think of (they have coffee of 32 different origins). 

Buying from them in person is an experience because they don't operate a retail shop, instead they allow people to buy - which is completely different. Firstly you have press the buzzer and say you want to buy some coffee before the door is released and you are allowed up. You then say what you want and the receptionist/secretary phones down to the warehouse; after a short wait someone then comes up with your beans, freshly packed in a generic silver bag. Brilliant - it is like being part of some secret coffee club.

Their building is by the canal  and I locked my bike by the lock (oh what punning fun we have!), opposite a man sitting peacefully on a bench. When I came back he said I needn't have bothered locking it. I replied that I didn't know how long he would be there. 

He pointed to what was left of his cigar and said "probably another 15 minutes"

"How long does it take to smoke one of those?"

"About two hours."

"Excellent." I said, not because I think smoking is good but because I thoroughly approve of the idea of sitting down for a long period of time and contemplating.

"I am celebrating the second anniversary of my retirement."

"Lucky the weather is quite mild" I said thinking a long smoke in winter might otherwise be a bit hardy

"Doesn't bother me. Thermals on. No problems. I spent 25 years in the freezer" (He worked for Golden West, distributors for MacDonald's, picking stock from the freezers).

It is good to have an anniversary ritual and be tough enough not to let any type of weather get in the way. Although his ritual may not be mine I like the idea of appreciating something, slowly and carefully to mark an occasion. 

I left him thinking about ceremony and how it is virtually non existent in my life. Although there's many a time I fall into reverie and contemplation, I have few rituals. I am not sure if that is a good or a bad thing.

Ritual

It is first thing in the morning and I am in Café Nero, drinking a coffee before work - just reading the paper and watching the world go by. A man about 30 years old comes by with a large mug of coffee, which he places on the table, before carefully removing a dirty cup to another table. He then looks at the arrangement of the chairs and moves one a little forward and the other to the side so they equidistant from the table and symmetrical. He then takes another chair to make a triangle around the small round table, a few more minor readjustments and then he is satisfied. He now disappears and returns with a paper napkin and a handful of sugar bags. He thoroughly wipes the table and places the used napkin in the dirty cup on the other table. Still standing, he starts to add sugar to his coffee. The little bag is held between thumb and forefinger at the corner and given two shakes. The corner is ripped off and the sugar poured out. Eight and a half bags of sugar are added before the coffee is stirred. He then goes off again and gets a paper, arranges things on the table and finally sits down. There is an adjustment of the zip of his jacket and his posture before finally he takes his first sip from the mug.

Everything is done with deliberation and I wonder if the first sip is accompanied with that inward sigh that says ‘ahh just right!’ or ‘that’s better’. I compare it with my behaviour – where all I did was brush the old cup to the other side of table before sitting down and drinking, without much thought of what I was doing.

I think of Kieren’s report of the Berlin Marathon, where he mentions sharing a flat with other runners and finding out about their pre-race rituals. Again I think about what I do and can think on no ritualised behaviour. When I run, all I try to do is remember everything I need and get out in one piece – there is no calm order.

Perhaps I need to give everything more focussed attention. Ceremony can be useful – it fixes an event, gives it status and puts you in the right frame of mind.

I am reminded of something from a radio programme of 35 years ago (it could have been ‘From our Own Correspondent’), when the reporter talked of meeting some native Americans who used tobacco in their ceremonies. He asked what they thought of the way tobacco was used by westerners and they replied it was bad because it was not treated with enough respect.

This has stayed with me because it makes me think of how full attention can change the nature of a thing – give it a different cultural meaning.

In Café Nero the man is certainly giving his coffee full attention. Perhaps it is a valuable ceremony that enhances his pleasure. On the other hand he could just have a compulsive obsessive personality.