Husserlians Unite!
I only just the other day laughed at myself, again, for thinking, two years ago, that I'd get frequent comments on, due to recognition of, the name HUSSERL on my vanity license plates...
Lordy, the immensity of my conceit and naivete.
I can report, though, that I've made contact, not once, but twice now, with other Husserlians. That license plate has called across the universes, and its voice has not come back empty.
The first time, I was just getting into my car in the Ace parking lot when a man and woman passed in front of the car on their way in. I'm putting my leg into the car and see them turning their heads to the front of the car, and then stop.
The woman looks at me - I wasn't quite into the car - and says, "Is that your name - Husserl? Or is it an homage to the philosopher?"
"An homage to the philosopher." I smile big as I speak.
"That makes two of us in this town," she said. She and her companion both nodded their heads. My smile got even bigger.
I know I should have chatted them up - why do you know about Husserl? (Notice that's not even 'how do you know about Husserl?' but 'why do you know about Husserl?'). I should have asked the woman to say more about her perception that she was the only Husserlian in Phoenix - why are there so few of us???? But I didn't.
The second contact went like this:
Dawn and I are both thinking "oh shit... "
We look out the passenger window and two lanes over is a youngish guy in a brand new BMW.
He shouts, "Is that Husserl? As in Edmund Husserl?"
Lordy, the immensity of my conceit and naivete.
I can report, though, that I've made contact, not once, but twice now, with other Husserlians. That license plate has called across the universes, and its voice has not come back empty.
The first time, I was just getting into my car in the Ace parking lot when a man and woman passed in front of the car on their way in. I'm putting my leg into the car and see them turning their heads to the front of the car, and then stop.
The woman looks at me - I wasn't quite into the car - and says, "Is that your name - Husserl? Or is it an homage to the philosopher?"
"An homage to the philosopher." I smile big as I speak.
"That makes two of us in this town," she said. She and her companion both nodded their heads. My smile got even bigger.
I know I should have chatted them up - why do you know about Husserl? (Notice that's not even 'how do you know about Husserl?' but 'why do you know about Husserl?'). I should have asked the woman to say more about her perception that she was the only Husserlian in Phoenix - why are there so few of us???? But I didn't.
The second contact went like this:
Dawn and I are driving down one of the major streets here in Phoenix one recent afternoon. I'm weaving in and out and cutting people off and being an a-hole. We come up to a red light and stop.
Then we hear someone saying from a couple lanes to the right, "A question for you...!"
Then we hear someone saying from a couple lanes to the right, "A question for you...!"
Dawn and I are both thinking "oh shit... "
We look out the passenger window and two lanes over is a youngish guy in a brand new BMW.
He shouts, "Is that Husserl? As in Edmund Husserl?"
I give him a thumbs up and a big goofy grin, and he gives us the party-on finger gesture and turns at the corner, and Dawn and I both bust out laughing.
And the universe keeps me hooked on living.
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