When is it OK to touch people when they touch you?

[HamburgerBoy]

Had my first graduate committee meeting today, and one of the committee members (a really friendly guy) congratulated me for a job well-done in my office, but as he walked over to me he raised his hand up to pat me on the shoulder. When I saw his arm extend I instinctively raised my own and sort of did a reach-around back/side tap with my left hand to him, and his pat thing (possibly as a direct consequence) was very brief and might have even recoiled away. In retrospect, I basically turned the situation into a hug. What would you have done?

 

[JulesMaximus]

You took it from friendly gesture to gay.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Laughed and then went to recess. Seriously, did you never have a childhood where you learned basic human interaction? Sorry, rereading that it came out kinda harsh. Were you in a coma, abducted by space aliens or, grew up in a cult?

 

[MongGrel]

You took it from friendly gesture to gay.

pretty much.

 

[Sonikku]

Had my first graduate committee meeting today, and one of the committee members (a really friendly guy) congratulated me for a job well-done in my office, but as he walked over to me he raised his hand up to pat me on the shoulder. When I saw his arm extend I instinctively raised my own and sort of did a reach-around back/side tap with my left hand to him, and his pat thing (possibly as a direct consequence) was very brief and might have even recoiled away. In retrospect, I basically turned the situation into a hug. What would you have done?

Turned it into a reach around, obviously.

 

[Capt Caveman]

You took it from friendly gesture to gay.

Based on the OP, I'm guessing it was intentional.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

What I meant is that I reached around, not fondling him or anything. I was probably near his right kidney.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Laughed and then went to recess. Seriously, did you never have a childhood where you learned basic human interaction? Sorry, rereading that it came out kinda harsh. Were you in a coma, abducted by space aliens or, grew up in a cult?

I was homeschooled, btw.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I was homeschooled, btw.

Submarine parents huh?

 

[MrRamon]

What I meant is that I reached around, not fondling him or anything. I was probably near his right kidney.

lol, he probably thinks that you are gay now. That area(waist or a few inches above) is reserved for a sensual interaction.

 

[It's Not Lupus]

A pat on the butt would have been fine.

 

[JulesMaximus]

What I meant is that I reached around, not fondling him or anything. I was probably near his right kidney.

Personally, I love it when colleagues fondle my kidneys.

If that was your intent I wouldn't give it another thought.

 

[momeNt]

MS paint? Your description is really confusing.

 

[MrRamon]

MS paint? Your description is really confusing.

http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lep0dhxuVq1qzbw9go1_500.jpg

that is what I imagine after reading his story.

 

[Printer Bandit]

I'm terrible at hugging. I always lean in the same direction as the other person.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lep0dhxuVq1qzbw9go1_500.jpg

that is what I imagine after reading his story.

Yeah, I did basically what the girl is doing, only I tapped with only a couple fingers

 

[HamburgerBoy]

I'm the pink-skin

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

You are a strange cat

 

[Mandres]

You are a strange cat

lol, well put.

 

[Fire&Blood]

I'm the pink-skin

It looks like you really want him inside you.

Ask him, maybe he goes for it. After all, spending one hard pounding night with him doesn't necessarily make you gay forever.

 

[Sluggo]

I'm the pink-skin

It can't be possible to be this socially inept, you are trolling.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

It can't be possible to be this socially inept, you are trolling.

Why? I was trying to make it into a side-hug, which I thought it was initially. Is mistaking a shoulder pat for a side hug really that indicative of social retardation?

 

[Leros]

Put your hand on their stomach and lean your head on their shoulder. It asserts your dominance.

 

[bbhaag]

So you managed to fuck up a high five.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

So you managed to fuck up a high five.

Pretty sure it wasn't a high five, although I have fucked those up in the past too by trying to shake them.