The Handshake

What do you do if a friende shows you his hand for a handshake before parting? Obviously you would take it. But what if that friend was of the opposite sex? And would a person of the opposite sex even offer to do that?

The following is a real experience that I had not some long time ago. There were five of us there, talking about somethings. Then one of us a boy had to leave. He offered his hand to each of us boys in turn and each of us returned a hearty handshake. But when he turned to the girl, instead of offering his hand, he just gave her a wave. He then said goodbye and left. 

Why the double standards? Why the handshake for the boys and nothing to the girl? Personally if i were in the girls place, I would have been offended. Here is one guy who I consider to be a friend who shook hands with everyone else but me. Why would he do that? The girl didn't seem to mind. She just smiled at him and said goodbye. 

I was pondering on this and then I realized where I was.  This was Trivandrum, Kerala. Touching girls is probably taboo here. Nattukaar enthu parayum?

These conservative notions are surely outdated if even a simple handshake is out of place!