A Coffee Cup Consideration - by David McDonagh


A Coffee Cup Consideration

I notice a small black coffee cup resting upon an orange plate. I couldn’t guess its entire dimensions in numbers, but when I hug the rim of the top using my thumb and pointer fingers nearly two inches of space is left exposed. The handle, which I have now examined for some time, resembles to me a bowtie. Now, let it be known that in fact this handle presents no similarity to any bowtie I have seen or experienced. The bowtie was subconsciously or unconsciously immediately presented to me without any conscious analytical consideration. When I attempted to conduct an analysis of the handle I found it difficult to think of anything other than a bowtie. The more I concentrated on the qualities of this handle, the more I felt it would be impossible to find anything to say or think about it without measuring with exactness its physical dimensions. If not to measure, then I felt my only other option would be to resign myself to accepting the description of bowtie.

by David McDonagh