@"Anne C" Oh Ann, that is very trying! At least in the city we can have anonymity. NO one likes pity face...
Three weeks ago I went to the supermarket and ran into a couple of mums from primary school days. One of them I've known since playgroup and I hadn't seen her for ages. The grapevine had informed her of my BC. Well, you would have thought I was a genie's bottle she was rubbing my arm that much! Couldn't stop herself. We were chatting for 10 minutes and my arm was rubbed for most of it. I didn't mind, she's a good chick, but for someone with whom I've never had a 'touching' relationship it took me by surprise. It's happened to me before, at the kids' current school when I went in mid-chemo. Three teachers and two mums did it in the space of half an hour. I was trying not to giggle by the end!
