:: The Wonders of Touch ::

When I was in junior high I attended a creative writing class (coz I wasn’t so very creative in writing, go figure!, not then nor now). Harry, one of my new classmates was a born troublemaker. Tall, not bad looking, but kinda big for our age though and very vocal, very. He made enemies without even trying, though usually he tried.

By the fifth session, everyone (me included) hated him and he was well on his way to breaking up the group. I was elected as the class rep which he din really like the idea, the reason, I reckon coz I’m Asian. As for my part, I was desperate, I tried everything from kindness and friendliness to anger and whats not but nothing worked and Harry remained sullen, disruptive force.

Then one evening he went a little too far in teasing me (which I suppose I shouldn’t disclose what he did to me), I grabbed him with both hands. The moment I did it, I realized my mistake. What could I do now? Let him go? Then he would be the victor. Hit him? Hardly, with the difference in size.

In a flash of inspiration I grappled him to the ground (thanks to my tae-kwon-do classes which I regularly escaped) and I started to tickle him. Yes, I tickled him. Well he squealed with anger at first. With the help of fellow classmates to hold him down of course. Then he laughed. Only when he gaspingly promised to behave did I let him up and found to my own mixed reactions, that I had created a Frankenstein-type of monster. By tickling him I had invaded his body zone and prevented him from using it for defense.

Harry not only behaved himself from that time on, but he also became my devoted companion and buddy. What fascinated me the most was that by invading his personal sphere, by violating the sanctity of his territory, I had communicated with him for the first time. And I learned that communication too come thru physical touch.

Sunday night Alyssa was throwing tantrum for no apparent reason. Crying nonstop asking me to draw with her. I was so busy having CSI marathon then. My mom was like yelling from out front asking me to leave the TV set and caters her. I had to give in and attended to her needs. But still, she wouldn’t stop crying. So, I wrapped my arms around her and I tickled her till she laughed, and voila! she stopped crying very soon after. But not to my expectation, she asked me to tickle her again. And again and again.... Adui!!! I missed most of the CSI’s lines that night.