$&*^%(! Huggers

Last Friday, Mrs. Hufflepuff invited me to some benefit breakfast her brokerage was sponsoring. It was kind of cool to be included but I know I would have hated these kinds of mandatory events as a commission only salesperson if I had hung my license with her brokerage. Not that she could have dictated this to be mandatory, but given every one of her agents were there helping out, it told me plenty about the culture of that company.

Now then, just a word about the benefit breakfast: foster parents don't get the recognition they deserve. I am glad there was some love spread around to those amazing foster parents last Friday.

Back to the breakfast. One of the big takeaways Jane has gotten from working with Mrs. Hufflepuff is being more involved in the community in a big way. It has been a wonderful transformation for Jane. She goes to cocktail parties now, wins silent auctions and is becoming extremely involved in several charities. Jane is blossoming in her role as an agent and a mover and shaker within her sphere of influence. I am so glad. I have never seen Jane so happy.

However, for those of you who aren't aware of this particular fact: I am shy to the point of anxious in a crowd of three or more. There are those (Marty) who claim it is a mental illness. There are others (me) who think it is a lifestyle. Take your pick. Last Friday, at the benefit breakfast, I was put to work passing out stickers to participants--why these stickers couldn't just be laid out at the place settings at the tables instead is lost on me--but that was a Mrs. Hufflepuff rule and she invited me. It required me to say hello to everyone who walked in the door. I am pleased to say, I didn't curl into a ball and cower in the corner. At least right then.

Jane also mandated, as a way to "help" me with that whole social anxiety thing, that I was to hug five people at this benefit breakfast.

"Why would I hug strangers?" I asked her.

"They wouldn't be strangers after you hugged them."

"Do you think the mayor would mind I went over and hugged him?" I asked, motioning over to his table.

"Go for it." She replied.

I didn't.

Which brings up something that totally bugs me. Why do people who announce they are "huggers" think just by declaring so it gives them carte blanche to violate my boundaries? This is a huge pet peeve of mine. Don't I get a say in who touches me?

After I shot daggers through my eyes at Jane, she backed off and changed my homework to, I was to shake hands with five people instead. I managed four.

After the breakfast was over (it was a pretty cool event) I walked over to Mrs. Hufflepuff and thanked her for inviting me. "I am so glad you came!" She replied. And then without warning, she hugged me.