Thread: Attack or Surprise

I was in a department store the one day shopping for the holidays, when someone came up behind me and put their arms around me. I was not expecting anyone to be behind me, nor did I see anyone in the department I was browsing. Thinking someone was going to try and rob me, my instincts took over and I elbowed the person in the side and started screaming. Turns out the guy was someone I had recently started dating. We'd been out about 6 times and he just happened to be in the same store as me. He just wanted to surprise me, and had no idea I'd react like I did.

That's pretty funny, but honestly I think that guy deserved to be hit. I really hate surprises like that. Without being able to see him, you had no idea that it wasn't an actual attack. I hope he wasn't badly hurt, but I also hope he learned his lesson!

No way would I surprise my girlfriend like that. She is mean at the best of times and I would never hear the end of it, especially if she had embarrassed herself by making a scene! He got off lightly I think!

I would have reacted the same way! Guys should be warned, that it's not funny to sneak up on someone from behind. I think it's good you gave him a whack in the side. He'll never do it again to anyone I'm sure. At least you got some defense practice in.

I don't believe people always think before they act. It sounds like the guy was just trying to be nice and obviously didn't think that he might have frightened you. I wonder if after that experience, he ever did that again to someone. Some years ago I saw an Opra show where she went to a gym to surprise John Travolta. She did exactly the same thing. Luckily he didn't hit her!

That's too funny. I'm really jumpy too and I'm afraid I would have done the same thing! Act first and think about it later. Better to be a little embarrassed in the department store than to show yourself vulnerable to an attack.

Well, some people like the idea of being surprised like that. In a safe place where bad things never happen, it's a pleasant surprise to find someone you love behind you as soon as you open your eyes. But I would never want that to happen now. I'm much too jumpy. I'd either hit him or run.

You really shouldn't "play" with people until you know how they will react. I had a manager that didn't understand why I was so jumpy all the time and constantly did things to make me jump. It was extremely frustrating.

That could have been a little bit funny if he did not scare you so much. Personally, I really hate it when people put their arms around me from behind, to surprise me, much more when they put their hands over my eyes and tell me to guess who they are. I do like to be surprised, but not in THAT way.