Can we shorten a fourteen-step friendship handshake?
Funny'You haven't done your homework,' Omar said after I forgot the turn before the final fist bump.
Our handshake began with two moves after a weekend trip. Every few months, Omar adds another. There are now fourteen, including a salute, an elbow touch and a small bow. I like having a greeting that's ours. I don't like failing a practical exam whenever we meet.
Last time we were standing in a doorway while two friends waited to get past. I offered an ordinary fist bump. Omar looked disappointed and restarted the sequence from the beginning.
He says the handshake is part of our friendship. I agree about the original joke, but I don't think affection should depend on remembering the current edition.
Can I ask to return to a few moves while keeping the longer one for occasions when we both feel like it?