To ask if you've ever hugged your plumber? (light hearted)

[Myearhurts]

This is my second AIBU of the day but here goes . . .

Today my plumbers finished some work in our house. It's been an ongoing one since the end of last week and we've had 3 plumbers from the same company at our house on various occasions.

The boss plumber arrived today, with the other two plumbers, to oversee the most complicated stage of the work and ensure that it was completed.

I paid on the spot by card. As they were leaving I gave the boss plumber £10 as a tip and a thank you.

He was very pleased to get this and said something like 'come here' and gave me a one armed hug.

I was a bit surprised and said something along the lines of 'Oh, OK' and I just sort of stood there and vaguely held my arms out feeling a bit awkward.

Is this what people do these days? Do you hug your workmen?

I was a bit taken aback and surprised by it all. It's been a good few hours now and I'm now slightly paranoid that I misinterpreted it all and he didn't really mean for it to happen. What if I get blacklisted as the local plumber hugger? I need a new boiler soon.

Before anyone suggests it, it was definitely not pervy in anyway. It was in front of two witnesses and was very fatherly hug.

Goodness yes! When I lived alone a long time ago, my heating packed up in the depths of a bad winter. Our village plumber came with his son, and they both decided my whole system was gunked up and would need a power flush. The poor souls had to lug a huge machine up the narrow stairs and spent hours sorting out the pump (which was kaput too and had to be replaced) All this in the freezing cold. When the pump started and the system sprang into life, I threw my arms around them both and whooped for joy. After giant mugs of hot tea and some of my ginger cake, we all hugged again. Angels in overalls!

By the way, I know one has to be careful nowadays, but honestly, the best thing in the world is a nice hug. We mustn't get too cold and formal, we're human beings and need some affection.
I also had a tree man and his 2 sons with chainsaws come to the house only recently to reduce our huge apple tree down to half its size. I came out with iced lemonade and 3 large slices of fruit cake. The father hugged me to him...and kissed my forehead! I'm old, and I thought this was lovely!

Having had no phone line for nearly 3 wks I would certainly hug a BT engineer, only of course once they had sorted it and I'd unlocked the door to allow them to leave!