Oddity

[mitchy]

Those that know and love me (or at least tolerate me :)) will tell you I'm a pretty tactile sort of person, I love me some hugs and snugs. So random contact doesn't freak me out, quite the opposite in fact. However there's a woman at work who has habit of getting my attention by putting her hand on my shoulder. Now this in and of itself is fine - she sits behind me, she knows I won't hear her unless I have some clue she's talking to me, so it's actually thoughtful of her to get my attention first. (Aside - my life would be considerably easier if more people made sure I was actually listening/capable of hearing them before talking to me but that's a rant for another day).

So I have no problem with method of initiating conversation. But she leaves her hand on my shoulder while she talks to me and for some reason, it's really freaking me out. I start to squirm and I want to knock her hand away and yell "Get off!!" I'm talking bugs-under-the-skin, want-to-run-screaming levels of twitchiness. WTF?? This is so not like me, I am seriously perplexed. I like the woman, she's one of the most inoffensive people in the office, so it's not that. *boggles* Obviously something is triggering the fight or flight response but I'm damned if I know what.

Comments

[trampledamage.livejournal.com]

I'm very definitely not tactile except with close trampledamages, so I get freaked when anyone touches me anyway, but having someone keeping their hand on you while they are talking is the worst! I can't abide continual contact, I just want to wrench my arm away. I think you're right - it is the fight or flight response and it's because she's effectively holding you in place.

[cookwitch.livejournal.com]

Now I want to make you an icon with the heffalump shying away from a hand. I have no idea how.

Or DO NOT PET THE TRAMPLEDAMAGE maybe?