Yesterday three of my neighbours were drinking together for VE day. They call me over to join, so I did. And I had three handshakes forced on me. I can't stop thinking about this. Not necessarily from a contagion point of view (although that is an issue)

The handshake was almost universally a gesture of trust and goodwill. I perceived the offer, which I couldn't normative refuse, as exceptionally (if unintentionally) aggressive. And the guy knew it, too. "You won't get it" and "We're all going to die one day".

Will the handshake survive this? I'm conflicted. I've long thought it a rather strange gesture, and much prefer bowing as an alternative. But white folks don't like this for some reasons, and even in the early days of COVID preferred to tap elbows or feet.

Bowing shouldn't be that alien to most of us, though. We're halfway there already: in the hallway we give each other nods. You've seen performers bow, or done so yourself.

I'm pro-bow once this blows over.