Presenting and Comportment

It's a good thing to be proud of who you are and all that you have accomplished in your life. Slavery is a noble calling, and the worth of every slave is immeasurable. Only an insecure man (I intentionally do not use the term Master) finds it necessary to degrade a slave in a vain attempt to elevate himself. The secure Master knows that the more valuable his slaves are, the more he is enriched.

A slave should be aware that, while he is the property of another man, he is also the most valuable property that man will ever own. In recognition of the slave's worth, I ask my slaves to carry their heads high. The lowered eyes represent humility, a valuable trait in any slave, as well as the respect that the slaves holds for his Master. The erect carriage and head indicate the slave's pride, or the knowledge of his own worth.

When a slave knows his own worth gives himself freely to his Master in humility and with respect, that is the most precious gift any man can receive.

A slave "presents" by assuming one of the postures listed in this chapter. The protocols for presenting vary a good deal from Master to Master, and especially from one tradition to another. Often the same position is referred to by several different names and sometimes the same name refers to a different position. Therefore, none of these presents are universal and you may very well find conflicting information elsewhere. Neither is right or wrong — this is my protocol, and other Masters also have their own.

Kneel upright, knees shoulder width apart, arms behind, left wrist in right hand. Do not sit on your heels. Lower your eyes, but do not bow your head.

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, arms behind, left wrist in right hand, eyes lowered. This is basically the standing equivalent of Kneeling Present.

Kneel on your right knee, leaving your left foot flat on the floor. Place your arms behind, clasp the left wrist with the right hand and lower your eyes.

This posture is used when serving a drink, or bringing anything to your Master. Balance the object on the palm of your right hand if possible (if not, you may steady it with the left hand, or even hold it in both hands) and wait for your Master to accept it. In a busy or loud environment, or other circumstances that prevent the Master from noticing your presence, it is permissible to say "Master, your drink" or the like.

Similar to the military "At Ease" or "Parade Rest", the slave stands with feet shoulder width apart and left wrist in right hand. It is not necessary to maintain a stiff posture; the whole point is that the slave is permitted to relax a bit.

The slave places the tips of his thumbs and the tips of his index fingers together, forming a triangle between the two hands. Kneeling and placing the palms flat on the floor, he rests his forehead in this triangle, leaving his ass in the air.

Each of these postures has a corresponding "Formal Present". The Formal Present is the same except that each elbow is held in the opposite hand. This forces the shoulders back and the chest forward in a most attractive way. These postures are called Kneeling Formal Present, Standing Formal Present and One Knee Formal Present. As their names imply, they are used primarily in formal circumstances.

Seniority