There are so many different kinds of hugs: who knew?
KK: I think it’s safe to say that The Midlife Gals are huggers, no question about it. We give good handshake, but prefer hugs every time. We like to get into someone's sacred physical space with a gesture of humanity at every opportunity. And, truth be told, we like to tweak the non-huggers by doing the same thing. We’re also shovers, arm grabbers and pokers, but those are different columns.SalGal: Speak for yourself, you die-hard Texas woman. I’m still influenced by my years in Hollywood, where people don’t touch each other unless they’re on stage, on a set, or grabbing for a bag of Fritos at the ‘craft-services’ table. The person who wins that last bag of Fritos may put their hand on your arm with an “I’m sorry but I won” touch that makes you feel like a lizard just slithered across your grave.
KK: Someone gave me a 'push/pull' hug the other day, Sal, and that got me to thinking about how many different kinds of hugs there are. I'm convinced that politicians are the ones who invented the push/pull. Here's how it works: When they know they're going to have to hug an on-comer, which is anathema to a push/puller, they steel themselves with stiff, outstretched arms. They know they can take charge of the hug-out by grabbing the person's right shoulder so they can control how close the hugger comes in and at the same time they gently push the hugger's left shoulder away from their body. It's a bizarre feeling and the innocent comes away from a hug like that thinking, "Whoa, what in the hell was that?"
SalGal: At least you got a quasi-hug and some fake affection. People in Hollywood would take that push/pull hug as a major affront to their private space. They would think that it was a bit too intimate and wonder if you were an actor who wanted a part in their next indie film.
KK: I suspect that we've all walked up to a 'hard hugger.' One of our dearest friends is a 'hard hugger.' We've had to train her over the years to go easy on us with her rib-breaking strength. If we didn't love her so much, and if she didn't have one of the world's greatest open-mouthed smiles, we would run screaming from the room at the sight of her arms beckoning us to her bosom. And, she’s a little-bitty thing too. We don’t know where that strength comes from.
