I have great needs for personal space. I generally do not like to be hugged while at work and I definitely do not like to be hugged by strangers. That actually happened, and I'm still creeped out about it.
A few months ago, we were in Washington DC visiting the big Catholic cathedral. (It's very nice, you should see it, religious, fallen, or never been.) The security guard welcomed us to the lower level of the structure. I really don't recall what he said, the hug blocked everything out. He was older and smelled alright. The hug was generally platonic in nature. But still! He got into my space.
I saw someone being hugged today and I didn't "feel the love" on the huggee's part. I wrote once about not hugging back, but that is another story. In the recently observed scenario, the huggee gave a half-hearted shoulder pat to the hugger. The hugger was totally oblivious.
We need to gather together and defend our rights to personal space. If we don't do it we'll become French and end up kissing each other three or four times each and every time we run into someone in the hallway. It will cut deeply into productivity on two counts. First, all the time spent kissing and second, sick time off due to the easy spread of colds. Yuck! It's just not worth it.
I think when a hug has become the new handshake there are problems. Deep serious, mental problems.
The security guard hugging me would completely freak me out. It was probably a surreptitious pat down. I think I have more time issues than space. Or it could equal space. I hate it when people talk to me in the bathroom. Especially when I'm in a stall! It is just wrong. I'm in there to do a job and we all need to pretend we aren't hearing what we are hearing and how can we do that if we are chatting?
Posted by: Laurie | January 27, 2005 at 09:41 AM