Keep your hands to yourself!

[Kit-Ginevra]

Perhaps they wanted to have a feel of some other baubles?

[MoonCat]

Perhaps they wanted to have a feel of some other baubles?

Naughty person, Santa is bringing you coal this year!

[Food Lady]

I remember a few years ago when Dear Abby had a retail worker write in complaining about touchy-feely customers, and how upset workers on this board were when Abby condoned the behavior as being part of the job.

Wow, is she ever out of touch with reality! You never know what someone's been through. I have a friend who was in an abusive relationship. You DO NOT bring your hand anywhere near the back of her head. You touch it, you lose your arm just about. It's an involuntary reaction and trust me--she's small but she can hurt you (can bench press her own weight).

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I'm feeling a little creeped out just imagining it.

No kidding!

Frankly, I shuddered as I read the OP. Just NO.

[XCashier]

I'm feeling a little creeped out just imagining it.

As am I.

A lot of these assholes rely on women either being constrained by their jobs or just being so shocked they can't react right away.

Oh HELL no. If it feels creepy, it IS creepy. BOTH of them were out of line. And I don't believe they didn't know it. Some guys get their jollies this way.

Absolutely true. And you can't call them on it, because they'll act all shocked -- shocked, I tell you! -- that you (pick one):

1. overreact to a mere friendly gesture.
2. assumed the man was trying something awful, you must have a dirty mind!
3. a mere sales peon has the nerve to tell the customer what to do!

Sorry you had to go through that. You might want to ask your manager if you have any recourse the next time that happens.

[Nunavut Pants]

Don't forget the male-female dynamic. Women in our society are often viewed as having their bodies be "public space", and not their own.

I have a friend who is very averse to non-consensual touch of any kind, and she educated me (nicely, since I was not trying to be creepy) about what was and was not appropriate.

[Sparklyturtle]

My sister was a nurse, and at the hospital where she worked was a doctor known to not keep his hands to himself. When he got handsy with Sis, she told him in set terms that if he ever touched her again she'd tell his boss. So, he tried to get her fired, but many of the other nurses came to her defense and reported on this guy not keeping his hands off the nurses. They didn't fire her, but she ended up quitting a few months later for a different reason.

[Slave to the Phone]

I am a very touchy feely person. Friends, family, loved ones, new friends that I just met on a motorcycle run are all greeted with a happy hug and we all touch a lot when we are together.

If you are not one of the above, DO NOT TOUCH ME!

And especially DO NOT TOUCH MY HAIR!!! I don't care that the customer just brushed her hair aside, that was totally out of line. Dizzy, you are a person and should not be treated like a robot. The amount of disrespect that jerk showed makes me angry.

[Becks]

Hope you also told them don't hand you no lines.

Have I mentioned lately that I you?

[Food Lady]

Have I mentioned lately that I you?

Me too. ~~~~~~~~~~~~