Does anyone know the etiquette of sharing an armrest? Is there any? Here are a few techniques I've used, but I'm not endorsing any of them. You decide whether they fall into the polite category or do they broadcast some deeply rooted personality flaw.
First: the "my edge/thy edge" share. My limb rests gently on my side while thine does the same on thy side. Here's hoping that my elbow doth not touch thine.
Second: the "I'll take the front/thou takest the back" approach to sharing. It's understood that the rear position be taken by the sharer with shorter arms, thus keeping us from leaning freakishly forward to claim armrest victory.
Third: the "it's my turn to hog the entire space/when I'm done it belongs to thou" share. This is the trickiest one of all since it's instinctive. How long is too long? All of Act One? Hardly. Halfway through the flight? Probably not.
Fourth: the "let me inch my way over to thy side before thou realizes I've pushed thee out of armrest territory" strategy.
It's surprising how competitive we are for the coveted armrest. The second our seat mate reaches for a tissue, we're all over that now vacant space and the battle begins anew.
Why did I use ye olde English pronouns above? Because I think the only way to survive the battle of the armrests is to think Quaker-like thoughts. Of course they're peaceful, not necessarily saintly. Wonder what it's like to share an armrest with one of them.
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