Unwanted Physical Attention

I’m going to lunch today with a friend I used to work with at a previous job. We’ve always gotten along great and had a lot in common despite our age difference (she’s about 20 years my elder). We try to keep in touch, which pretty much involves an occasional email update when something major happens in my or her life. We try to have lunch together once every couple months as well.

Now the problem I have is that the woman insists on hugging me every time she sees me now. I like to consider myself a pretty warm and open individual with people I like and if it was a closer friend or perhaps a family member that I hadn’t seen in quite some time I would welcome them freely with a little squeeze. However, with her I feel it’s inappropriate and quite frankly uncomfortable.

But what can I do? I can’t really just hold up my hand, shake my head and say, "No touchy". I mean despite how I may come across here in the written world, in the real one I’m actually fairly reserved. I guess I should look at it as a compliment. I mean she obviously feels that we have some sort of bond. A bond that she must strengthen by touching me every time she sees me since we see each other so rarely.

Perhaps she’s like this with everyone that she only sees occasionally. Who knows, maybe she greets her tax preparer by sticking her tongue in his ear, or her mechanic by giving him a quick little grope. Maybe I’m getting off easy with just a hug.