Well, Wendy wouldn’t have any of it. She would back me into a corner and hug me uncomfortably long. Perhaps my first misstep was sharing with her my rules of hugging (which I just shared with you all, so no doubt someone who reads this is going to try and hug me for a little TOO long).
Wendy also, incidentally, took the picture that graces this post.
Anyway, it looks like I am going to have to evade more and more hug since hugs are the new handshakes:
Men accustomed to the automatic and dependable hand clasp accompanied with a brisk up-and-down pump at dinner parties and college reunions, now must preface their greetings or goodbyes with intricate and split-second calculations based on body language, length of friendship and other factors.
Do I shake or do I hug?
Making the right choice matters. If one guy goes for the hug, but the other decides upon a handshake, they might collide. An excruciating dance will follow, as the poor lads work feverishly to determine what to do with their hands, their arms, their bodies.
Life just got a little more complicated. Can’t we all just stand at a respectful distance and nod to one another? Would that be too difficult?