The High Five

The High Five has always boggled my mind. I understand most of what is going on there - I high five people when it is appropriate ... but there are people who high five as a way of life. They high five hello, goodbye, and anything else they want to. I just witnessed a college-aged man have a conversation with a woman. He then turned to talk to someone else for awhile. When he was ready to go, he high fived his friend, then turned to the woman and held up a hand for her. She had turned back to her computer and was working on something else, so she was oblivious. He whistled at her, she didn't turn (YAY for not responding when people whistle to get your attention!). He made various grunts and throat clearing noises trying to get her attention. She didn't notice. He said, "hey," then "yo," then finally he called her name. She turned, and they shared the most awkward high five I have ever seen.

What was the point of that? Isn't a high five meant to show connectedness? A shared victory or something? When someone is involved in something so much that they don't even notice the hand up, just walk away. The connection isn't there at that exact moment. A high five would not be appropriate.

That's what I'm convinced of.