Maybe They Like Having Their Hair Played With?

I take the bus to work every day. Every now and then I come across a completely normal-looking woman who touches other people’s hair. By touching, I mean caressing it lovingly over and over, staring at it longingly, and smelling it, too. She sits behind women with long hair so nobody seems to notice. Once she was doing this to a woman who was at the front of the bus. (I was at the back.) I really wanted to tell her but was far too embarrassed to shout across the crowd of people standing between us. We both got off at the next stop, and I hesitantly asked if she knew the lady who was touching her hair. She seemed shocked and said she had no idea what was happening, as she was distracted with her MP3 player and thinking about something else. Nobody says anything. I don’t think anyone knows the etiquette of dealing with a crazy woman who likes touching strangers’ hair. Next time I see it, what should I do? A part of me is worried that the crazy hair lady will try to do something deranged to me.

Dame Gothel is riding the bus!? You can read Prudence’s super-short response here (it’s waaay down at the bottom).