Hugging, kissing, grabbing, groping, holding hands, making out, flicking someone, caressing, choking, prodding, cradling, shaking hands, and tickling; these are examples of the gross thing we all do, called touching. Everyone has something that just drives them absolutely crazy. Some people hate feet, some people hate the word “moist” or “panties”, others may hate when people chew loudly, but me, I hate touching. People touching other people, people touching me, and touching in general, is my number one pet peeve. Seeing other people touch or people trying to touch me, makes me want to gag right there on the spot. Public places are the worst place for me to go because people are always touching.

Do you ever go to the mall or the grocery store and turn down an aisle just to see a couple making out with their hands all over each other? Some people may think this could be sweet, but I think it’s disgusting. Humans in general are very gross specimens by themselves, but when you add another person to the picture, it just doubles the repulsiveness. Sometimes when I see PDA in public places, I just have to wonder what their parents or grandparents would think if they seen them touching each other like that. One time, for instance I was at a volleyball game my junior year and I turn to see an adult couple making out in front of everyone against a wall. Not only did I think how gross this was but I also didn’t know how grown adults could do this in public.

Public display of affection is something we have probably all done, including myself, but that doesn’t mean I’m not absolutely sickened by seeing other people do it. I’m sure we have all seen our dads touch our moms butt before and if that doesn’t make you want to throw up, I don’t know what will. What’s even grosser is seeing middle schoolers show affection to each other as if they need to make a point. Couples touching each other, young or old, is something I don’t want to see and is quite disgusting.

Most generally, if I know someone pretty well I can shake their hand or even hug them but when I don’t know someone and they walk up and touch me, it flips a switch in my head and I get very offended. Strangers (people we don’t know) could have a cold, the flu, aides, a contagious skin disease, or even something worse than that, and we would never know it as they touch us. Ringworm, scabies, herpes, lice, and pinkeye, are all spread through direct contact, or touching. Just think of the times that all of these horrendous infections could have been prevented if we just hadn’t touched someone.

I’m not a germaphobe, however, some people are just very nasty and I would never want to have to touch them or for them to have to touch me. At school, we have all had to sit by someone that just smelled absolutely disgusting, as if they haven’t showered their whole life. Just imagine that person taking their hands and putting it all over your face or even worse, sticking their finger in your mouth as a joke. Pretty disgusting if you ask me.
The other day I was at the casino and I went in to use the restroom. I walk out of the stall and as i’m washing my hands, a lady walks out of a stall and walks straight out of the bathroom. I don’t think she even thought twice about washing her hands or anything of the sort. I’m sure as soon as she left the bathroom she went straight to a machine and started playing it. The same machine that hundreds of other people would soon touch and now we could potentially have this ladies poop on our hands. Everyday we all touch something that is covered in millions of germs. Right now as I speak, you all are touching desks that many kids have sat at before you. Maybe they too have scabies or a cold but we would never know. Now that I have talked about other people touching each other and us touching things, i’m going to talk about people touching me.

There is someone in this school that always feels the need to walk up to me and stick their finger in my ear or stick their finger up my nose. Me not liking people to touch me, it angers me in a way I can’t even describe to have someone do this to me. There is also a person outside of school that will always flick me in the throat or push me and i’ve never wanted to punch somebody so badly in my life. There is a level of touching someone for affection and then another level of touching someone out of anger or to annoy. Not only is it an invasion of my space but it's incredibly rude and unnecessary. My dad will walk behind me and put his hand on my shoulder and pinch my collarbone just because he knows it annoys me. Nothing in this world makes me madder than someone walking up to me and grabbing my shoulder just because they know it infuriates me.

Not only do I think touching by itself is weird, I also think it's super awkward to have to hug people we don’t really know. Going to weddings or family gatherings is something I absolutely dread because I know some old person will know my parents and think they should hug me. It’s also super awkward for me to go to a funeral and have people hug me or me have to hug people as a condolence. Many times touch can be seen as soothing or be a confirmation, but to me it's unneeded.

In closing, my pet peeve of touching is more than just an annoyance to me, its something that is super awkward for me and I despise it. I think touching people to annoy them is super rude and it could also push a person to their breaking point. Seeing couples touch each other makes me want to vomit and I hate seeing it. People touching me makes me super angry. So, the next time you decide to touch someone just for the heck of it, remember they could have scabies, poop on their hands, or they could just absolutely hate it.