I dropped off some suits at a new dry-cleaners. The Asian proprietor (it’s germane) seemed happy to see a new customer, and tried to shake my hand. He had the sniffles so I tried to fist bump instead, then he grasped my fists instead, and it all became quite awkward — so awkward that he finished it all off by pressing his fingertips together and bowing.
I tried to make up for it when I picked up the suits by shaking his hand. He immediately sneezed.
4 responses to “Bow”
Oh. Oh dear.
(this is why we keep hand sanitizer in the car, the whole “people being sick in public” thing; not that hand sanitizer will magically protect you from all germs, but it’s at least taking a shot at it. But oy. That perfect intersection between Extremely Awkward Interaction and Immunosuppression…)(which sort of makes me wonder if it’d be worth wearing, like, an advertising button “Hi! I’m immunocompromised! Please don’t sneeze on me or shake my hand or hug me!” in the winter…)
KC – I find that I sanitize my hands at work if someone sneezes across the room. It makes no sense.
Maybe the sneeze reminds you that you and the sneezer may have touched the same objects at some point previously in the day? I have no idea.
KC – No, that borders on rational. It’s just basic anxiety.