Kiss Off

This kissing business is just not making any sense at all. Isn't one enough? It's a kiss hello. Ok, one on each cheek, maybe the second one is their hello to you but three? Why repeat the first one? Isn't that like saying hello to someone, they say hello back and then you say hello again?

But even that I can manage if it's with a complete stranger, it's just kissing. But when it's friends, someone I've known for a long time, it's too much. There are feelings behind any contact, especially that one, and not always good feelings. But if they are good feelings, that's not good.

And those guys who do it, the southern Europeans mostly, that's just not happening. Not two or one. None. Hello and a handshake is all the contact I need with a man.

I often introduce myself as English and I see people stopping short of the kiss hello, it's an uncomfortable moment but frankly it's better than the option. Nothing personal, it's not you it's me.

It is interesting how quickly people make these judgements, "English, no kiss", "Indian, karma sutra eerrrm... best be careful". I have been told before that I am associated with the Karma Sutra simply for having an Indian background. In reality I am very uncomfortable even kissing cheeks.

So where does that leave us? Stop importing continental culture, I don't mean yoghurt, I mean habits. You can't trust people who don't eat a proper breakfast. Ok, I have Pepsi Max for breakfast and I live on the continent but that's not the point. The whole isn't the sum of the parts, the people are still the people even if one lives in Belgium.

I didn't want to live in Belgium, who ever thinks of migrating to Belgium? I thought Australia or Western USA but extraneous circumstances happened to me and now I'm here. I'm not crying, I'm just saying I could have learned to surf and had a barbie cruising the strip or whatever it is.

We have got a loverly garden though. More about that soon.

JJ