Alright, so this whole thing about making out in public. It’s one of those things, isn’t it? You see it, and you either don’t care, or you really care, or you just kinda… cringe a bit. For me, it wasn’t some big moral stand at first. It was more about just trying to live my life, you know? My whole “practice” with this topic, if you can call it that, was more accidental than planned.
I actually started paying more attention to this, or I guess you could say my “process” in figuring out my stance, after this one incident. I was at this park, just trying to read a book on a perfectly normal afternoon. Sun was out, a few people walking their dogs, the usual scene. And then this couple comes along and settles on the bench right opposite mine. Okay, fair enough, it’s a public park, people come here to relax. They started off just holding hands, chatting quietly. Pretty sweet, I thought, and went back to my book.
But then, things took a turn. And pretty quickly. We’re talking full-blown, Hollywood-movie-finale, can’t-come-up-for-air kind of making out. Now, I like to think I’m a pretty open-minded person. But this just went on, and on, and on. It wasn’t just a quick kiss goodbye or hello. It was an entire soap opera episode unfolding right there. My “process” of dealing with it in that moment involved a lot of sudden intense interest in the architectural details of the lamppost to my left. Then I tried to get really, really absorbed in a very dull paragraph in my book. You know the drill – anything to not make eye contact.
The main thing was, it completely changed the atmosphere of that quiet little corner of the park. My “record” of this whole experience isn’t just about them; it’s about the ripple effect. An elderly gentleman who was enjoying the roses nearby started frowning. A young mom with a toddler suddenly decided it was time for a very urgent walk in the opposite direction. It was like they’d unknowingly set up this huge, invisible “awkward zone” around themselves. I wasn’t mad, exactly, just…uncomfortable. It felt like they were in their own private movie, and the rest of us were unwilling extras. It didn’t feel malicious, just completely oblivious to the shared nature of a public space. That was the start of my “head to toe” consideration of the matter.
So, what came out of this impromptu “practice session” in public observation?
Well, over time, and after seeing a few more similar situations, I sort of firmed up my own internal “process” for how I think about it. It’s not like I carry a rulebook, but these are the general thoughts that go through my head:
- Location, location, location. A sweet, brief kiss at an airport arrival gate? Totally understandable, even heartwarming. A full-on make-out session with dramatic embraces while I’m trying to figure out which bus to catch in a crowded terminal? Bit much.
- Read the room, folks. Seriously. If you’re surrounded by families trying to have a picnic, or in a quiet library garden, maybe consider if your passionate display is enhancing or detracting from everyone else’s experience.
- There’s a timer in my head. A peck, a hug, holding hands – all good. But when it becomes a marathon event, with accompanying sound effects, that’s when my internal “get a room” meter starts beeping.
Honestly, my “practice” in observing these things hasn’t made me anti-affection. Not at all. Connection is important. But it’s really just brought home the idea that being in public means sharing space. It’s like playing loud music without headphones on the train. Sure, you can do it. But it kind of makes you that person. For me, that day in the park was the real beginning of my “record” keeping on this. Now, when I stumble into one of these situations, I mostly just do a mental eye-roll and, if possible, relocate. That’s been the main outcome of my ongoing “practice” and observation of public making out: sometimes, you just gotta find another bench.
