Saturday, March 23, 2002

What's the opposite of a fetish?  I have a shuddering distaste for the feel of icky gooey stuff, including creams and unguents of every kind — I never use Chapstick or lip balm, deplore my wife's habit of putting Vaseline on her lips before going to bed (in fact, have been known to secretly rub my mouth after kissing her goodnight), apply suntan lotion only when forced (although I have pale skin and burn to a crisp), and loathe the feel of lotions or moisturizers, even when they could save me from — as now, as every year by this time — raw, chapped hands and cracked split knuckles.  I blame my mother, who treated every sniffle by slathering my sister and me with Vicks VapoRub. 8:16:58 PM    commentplace ()