Close Talkers

I knew this girl in high-school who was what you could call a "close-talker." Except in addition to that, she would hold my wrist with her bony claw fingers while she was talking. I would back up and she would move closer, until eventually I was practically pinned against a locker. Still makes me shudder to this day. I can't remember my Woodshop teacher's name but he was a close talker too. And a yeller. One time he was yelling in my face about something - although I can't remember what - and suddenly he stopped and asked if I had pizza for lunch. Then he said "Oh no wait, that was me." Ugh!

Recently there has been a new close-talker in my life. I back up and he moves closer. We go about this little close-talking dance until finally I can wriggle myself out of the conversation. Once, we started the conversation on opposite sides of the desk. Feeling safe, I engaged him in a longer conversation then usual, until I noticed he was slowly moving closer. Eventually he, very slowly, made his way around the desk until he was actually standing over me in the chair! I realize in his case it might be a hearing issue so I always let it slide.

I may have a slighter larger personal comfort zone than most people; my "bubble" extends probably about two or three feet in each direction. But I honestly don't think we need to be able to smell eachother's breath in order to have a conversation. Blech! There just doesn't seem to be a polite way to tell someone, who genuinely wants to spend some time and have a conversation with me, to back the hell up.

It won't let me embed the video but here's the YouTube link for the Seinfeld clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGVSIkEi3mM