I was getting on the old 7 train to come home this evening and I got stuck behind an older couple who were holding hands. I followed them for a few hundered yards through the maze that is the Times Square subway station. They would seperate to move around people or objects, but always come back together and hold hands.
It reminded me of the diamonds commercial from a few years ago which featured a young couple walking briskly through a park and having some sort of turse-looking discussion. Toward the end of the commercial they came up behind an older couple who were walking slowly and holding hands. As the younger pair split to go around the older, they took notice and remembered what it was all about. When they met in front of the old couple, they were holding hands once again. How sweet.
But I got to thinking about the whole holding hands thing. Who thought that up? I ran a quick Google search on the history of the phenomena and only came up with this. Mildly interesting, but not the answer.
I thought of Nicole and I. Whenever we go out anywhere we are holding hands. I wondered if it was for the public. Is it something we do to let others know we’re together? No, couldn’t be that. If anything I’m less compelled to hold hands when others are around.
Nicole sometimes will tell me stories about how in Kenya folks who are close friends walk around holding hands. Just hanging out.
Maybe holding hands is to friends what the handshake is to associates. An agreement of sorts. I suppose lovers who are arguing aren’t going to be holding hands as much and associates who don’t trust one another may forgoe a handshake.
Seems plausible. I was just curious.free death of a president
April 7th, 2004 at 3:05 pm
Elementary, my dear O-man. Connection — the eternal human yearning to make a connection, to share experience, warmth, and the glow of life. The pure practice is not a choice — it’s something we’re compelled to do.
Later, dude.