What you say is true. Regrettably, we live in a dangerous world. If I'd been more uneasy, I might have shoved him away, which could be dangerous for him in the middle of an intersection. I also think you're right about more physical contact. A new acquaintance, when offering to guide me in a restaurant (a courtesy I will accept, because the restaurants I tend to go to seem to have lots of cramped spaces and such), slipped my hand in his to guide. I pulled my hand back and took his arm. I wouldn't have minded flirting with him, but he's married, and so even holding hands seems off limits to me. Maybe that's an entirely different subject, though. -----Original Message----- From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Elizabeth and Burton Sent: Monday, December 04, 2006 10:23 PM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: OT: Overly Helpful People Reality is grabbing someone, particularly a woman without asking first is a stressful and possibly dangerous experience for the person being grabbed. I understand the need to help. I will stress in the book what we all know and have been trying to stress and will use humor to do it. The human being is equipped with a mouth and the ability to use it. Please let's learn the following phrases. Repeat after me children: "May I pet your dog." "Do you need help." alternatives to "Do you need help" include "Are you all right?" The implicit thing often thought is "I am worried about you. Do you need help?" (can I stop worrying) and the other question is "I have nobody to help and here is a person I can help." I do not like this attitude much since I dislike being an object attracting folks who feel so non-needed and attracting them for their needs not my help By the way, you can tell that kind. Those are the ones who keep insisting and hang on after you have said you do not need help. On a more ominous note, I think there are men who physically grab blind women for the same reason they would like to grab or touch a woman or any kind. You can tell this kind because he is the one who tries to cop a feel of my tit while I am hholding his arm to cross a street. Bottom line, I thin, is that anyone needs to be at least a bit concerned about somebody grabbing them particularly in situations where he might be trying to pick your pocket or such. The fact is many of that kind are put off some by dogs. I also think women who are blind get physically contacted more than do blind men. Somebody from AFB wrote a NY Times article about it a few years ago. I will do my best to get ahold of it. I want AFB in on the book project in some way, by the way. This thing really might take off. E. To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line. To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.