Promenading. Master class 101 requires slaves to walk one pace behind the Master when out. This has always been a requirement for me and it was in turn taught and expected of me when I was serving a Master when I was learning the trade so to speak. Recently I was chatting to a Master in Singapore and they apparently have a different cultural slant on it in Singapore. The Singapore Master advised that over there the slave always walks in front as a sign of respect.

This got me thinking about why we do it the way we do and to be quite frank the only reason I could find was that it puts you in the position of leader and therefore in total control of the path being taken. It probably harks back to the days when kings led from the front to show that they had no fear. I am not sure there is a need for modern Masters to show no fear while walking around the street or any one else for that matter unless you are going through some crack estate full of bogans. On the other hand I could see lots of benefits from having the slave walk in front. One. I can watch him to make sure his mind is on the job and not leering at every pretty boy wandering past. Two. Once the slave is told where to go they have to do the navigating and woe behold if they get you lost. Three. They can have doors open for you before you get there so you don't have to wait. Four.They have to make sure they stay just in front and don't get too far away. This gives them a third thing to think about other than navigation and pleasing you. Five. If you have them collared or some other obvious adornment of their servitude they are more open for everyone to see rather than being able to hide behind you. Six. You can still put them on a lead if you wish either directly to their neck or around their balls, under the crutch and out over the top of their pants. The western way of slave behind has a number of decided disadvantages I also discovered on reflection. Firstly. You can't see what they are doing so they could be pulling faces, giving you the finger or perving on pretty boys. Secondly. They only have to follow behind mind in neutral while you do the work of navigating. How embarrassing for the Master if you get lost. Thirdly. You have to wait for them to come forward to open doors. Fourthly. If you do wander into a drug estate then the expendable slave/s can be expected to deal with the mugger allowing you to escape if necessary. This Master from now on has slaves to the front.