hand scratching

skonrad · Feb 23rd, 2009, 23:35

Not sure if this is appropriate place -- borderline humor:

The other night I was waiting around the Mysore bus station for a bus to Ernakulam (overnight AC semi-sleeper -- would've been great but I was in the last two seats). It was late (or perfectly on time depending on perspective) and a drunk man came up to me and started chatting. It was an incredibly awkward conversation, but he did a weird thing where he scratched my hand extremely deliberately when he shook it on introduction.

I know what this means other places, but I haven't heard/experienced it elsewhere.

Anyone able to decipher this one? He went on to tell me to just miss my bus and then take my tea. It was pretty uncomfortable!

Haylo · Feb 23rd, 2009, 23:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by skonrad

Anyone able to decipher this one?

I only know how I would decipher it, and put it this way, I wouldn't assume he was telling me that he was a Mason!

Especially with someone who is drunk, anything other than instantly breaking off of the conversation at that point would probably be interpreted as encouragement... It doesn't sound as if he forced his intentions onto you though, women have to defuse approaches like this all the time, it's no big deal. Stick around more bus stops late at night and I'm sure you'll get the hang of it.

PeakXV · Feb 23rd, 2009, 23:52

Happened to me once too but as it turned out both his parents were tabbies.

capt_mahajan · Feb 23rd, 2009, 23:54

Happened to me in a bus in Calcutta, returning from school.

I removed a common pin from the papers I was carrying and stabbed him with it.

(ps in the hand, in the hand)

karuna · Feb 23rd, 2009, 23:58

Ummm...do you mean he tickled your palm....? Or do you mean he literally scratched your hand. Because the former I get, but the latter is just weird. Not that the former isn't also weird, but....oh you know what I mean.

capt_mahajan · Feb 24th, 2009, 00:03

If you are asking me, the former. I think that was what the OP meant too, else it is close encounters of the third kind

Nick-H · Feb 24th, 2009, 00:49

Damn it, the guy was probably just expressing a childlike joy inspired by his belief in god...

.

brishti · Feb 24th, 2009, 01:08

posts 4 -7 are wannabe trolls...

this palm scratching thingee - was done at length somewhere else
and of course i dont have a clue in which thread it was...

it generally means - 'hey babe, help me make it thru the night.'

:brishti

Nick-H · Feb 24th, 2009, 01:11

Don't you call me a wannabe troll!

---No wannabe about it!

.

skonrad · Feb 24th, 2009, 21:59

See the whole thing is that I'm a guy, so I was wondering if there was some alternative meaning among men or if I'd just been propositioned in a totally uncomfortable and exceptionally ineffective way. He scratched at my palm -- not really a tickle as it was forceful. I would've got up and left, but my girlfriend was sitting next to me, and I thought he might just go away if I started talking to her. He did eventually, but it took about 10 minutes of him looking as though he was about to pass out and intermittently repeating the same questions.

Especially in Mysore, I was subject to a lot of people coming up and asking me inane questions and giving me suggestions on things to do with no ulterior motive and providing directions without being pestered first (and autos talking themselves out of money!!). So I thought maybe this was part of that strange friendliness.

I knew no matter what happened not to leave the bus station (common sense), which suited me just well as I had no idea when or where my bus was coming - the joy of bus stations.

karuna · Feb 24th, 2009, 22:10

Quote:

so I was wondering if there was some alternative meaning among men or if I'd just been propositioned in a totally uncomfortable and exceptionally ineffective way.

No there isn't, and yes you had.

Ineffective eh? What should he have tried?

Paleface · Feb 24th, 2009, 22:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by skonrad

It was an incredibly awkward conversation, but he did a weird thing where he scratched my hand extremely deliberately when he shook it on introduction.

Avoid shaking hands altogether (filthy habit, never know where they've been) Put yours together in Namaste and say Namaste, repeatedly and increasingly loudly, if necessary.....

namaste_cat · Feb 25th, 2009, 03:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeakXV

Happened to me once too but as it turned out both his parents were tabbies.

Too funny!!!

skonrad - it's not an Indian thing as far as I know. Looks like that guy was just weird

New-South-Welshman · Feb 25th, 2009, 04:36

I saw something about it in the north-eastern states of India, and just across the border in China on Palin's Himalaya as some sort of courting request. But a guy doing it to a guy? He was drunk!

karuna · Feb 25th, 2009, 04:54

Or...er...gay, maybe?

Other men on IM have reported having this done to them by men. In post #4 here, for a start. Also elsewhere.

Feb 23rd, 2009, 23:35	#1
skonrad Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Vancouver Posts: 8	hand scratching Not sure if this is appropriate place -- borderline humor: The other night I was waiting around the Mysore bus station for a bus to Ernakulam (overnight AC semi-sleeper -- would've been great but I was in the last two seats). It was late (or perfectly on time depending on perspective) and a drunk man came up to me and started chatting. It was an incredibly awkward conversation, but he did a weird thing where he scratched my hand extremely deliberately when he shook it on introduction. I know what this means other places, but I haven't heard/experienced it elsewhere. Anyone able to decipher this one? He went on to tell me to just miss my bus and then take my tea. It was pretty uncomfortable!

Feb 23rd, 2009, 23:52	#3
PeakXV Naan.tering Nabob Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap Posts: 5,881	Happened to me once too but as it turned out both his parents were tabbies. __________________ What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us. ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

Feb 23rd, 2009, 23:58	#5
karuna Just a big girl with a small dream Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: A little town you've probably never heard of Posts: 2,976	Ummm...do you mean he tickled your palm....? Or do you mean he literally scratched your hand. Because the former I get, but the latter is just weird. Not that the former isn't also weird, but....oh you know what I mean. __________________ Mosquitos suck.

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Feb 23rd, 2009, 23:54	#4
capt_mahajan Infidel Sufi Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: styx Posts: 13,607	Happened to me in a bus in Calcutta, returning from school. I removed a common pin from the papers I was carrying and stabbed him with it. (ps in the hand, in the hand) __________________ . Outside the machine

Feb 24th, 2009, 00:03	#6
capt_mahajan Infidel Sufi Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: styx Posts: 13,607	If you are asking me, the former. I think that was what the OP meant too, else it is close encounters of the third kind

Feb 24th, 2009, 00:49	#7
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,213	Damn it, the guy was probably just expressing a childlike joy inspired by his belief in god... .

Feb 24th, 2009, 01:08	#8
brishti disMember Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: india Posts: 3,687	posts 4 -7 are wannabe trolls... this palm scratching thingee - was done at length somewhere else and of course i dont have a clue in which thread it was... it generally means - 'hey babe, help me make it thru the night.' :brishti

Feb 24th, 2009, 01:11	#9
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,213	Don't you call me a wannabe troll! ---No wannabe about it! .

Feb 24th, 2009, 21:59	#10
skonrad Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Vancouver Posts: 8	See the whole thing is that I'm a guy, so I was wondering if there was some alternative meaning among men or if I'd just been propositioned in a totally uncomfortable and exceptionally ineffective way. He scratched at my palm -- not really a tickle as it was forceful. I would've got up and left, but my girlfriend was sitting next to me, and I thought he might just go away if I started talking to her. He did eventually, but it took about 10 minutes of him looking as though he was about to pass out and intermittently repeating the same questions. Especially in Mysore, I was subject to a lot of people coming up and asking me inane questions and giving me suggestions on things to do with no ulterior motive and providing directions without being pestered first (and autos talking themselves out of money!!). So I thought maybe this was part of that strange friendliness. I knew no matter what happened not to leave the bus station (common sense), which suited me just well as I had no idea when or where my bus was coming - the joy of bus stations.

Feb 25th, 2009, 04:36	#14
New-South-Welshman Drunk Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sydney, NSW Posts: 1,574	I saw something about it in the north-eastern states of India, and just across the border in China on Palin's Himalaya as some sort of courting request. But a guy doing it to a guy? He was drunk!

Feb 25th, 2009, 04:54	#15
karuna Just a big girl with a small dream Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: A little town you've probably never heard of Posts: 2,976	Or...er...gay, maybe? Other men on IM have reported having this done to them by men. In post #4 here, for a start. Also elsewhere.