Eating off people's plates

This is a very important topic to me. In fact, I've been putting off writing it because it just cuts too deeply.

The first germaphobe I met was my cousin. One day she was a perfectly normal individual and the next day she was a weirdo. All of a sudden, she acted like the rest of us were the dirtiest people in the world. She didn't want us near her food, she didn't want us touching her bottle of pop, and she definitely didn't want us trying on her shoes (not me. my sister) ... even though she wears them on HER FEET!

And it was contagious.

Immediately, her brother and sister became the same way. I imagined the three of them sitting at the table eating cereal with their elbows tucked in, their glazed eyes looking fearfully at the others, watching for germs to leap from spoons like kamikazes.

I recently knew a very likeable individual who was a germaphobe. She would tolerate sharing her Cheez-Its with you but only if you washed your hands first. Otherwise, she poured a small handful on a napkin for you. I asked her if she touched handrails ("No."). What about doorknobs? ("No.")

These people are deluding themselves. I'm not suggesting we be unhygienic. During the cold season, let's all wash our hands and be careful what we do with our tissues. But--really--I met a mother once who confided to me that she babied and worried over her first two kids and they both were sickly children. Her third child she let alone. He ate mud and was one of the healthiest kids in the world. So who's better off?

My main gripe is with the way their asocial behavior makes everyone else feel. They aren't just careful about cleanliness: they make sure everyone else is aware of how "clean" they are. As if the rest of us should walk around screaming "Unclean! Unclean!" everywhere we go...

Jeesh.