Uh Oh! I Think My New Boyfriend Just Gave My Parents Their First Hug Ever

So I have to break up with him now…

July 14, 2021

By: Julia Zhen

Growing up in a Chinese household, my parents were never very affectionate. Sure they paid for all my necessities, piano lessons, and swim team, but a hug? Especially for the oldest daughter? Forget it. 

The closest my parents ever came to showing any physical affection was when we went white water rafting and my dad, who admittedly cannot swim very well, fell out of the boat. The water wasn’t that deep but I still jumped in to help him. When he put his arm around my shoulder I thought that this must be my parents’ way of ‘hugging.’ 

I think my mom has a soft spot for me though because when we went camping, a mosquito landed on my back and my mom slapped it really hard. It left a reddish handprint on my back, but I knew she wanted to leave a temporary reminder that she was expressing her love. 

My sister is super lucky though. When she was taking the subway with my parents around NYC, the train car stopped really abruptly. Both of my parents immediately fell forward, tackling and essentially launching my sister onto the floor. Both of them were clutching to my sister for dear life. I am honestly so jealous that she got double physical affection, simultaneously from mom and dad. She got a concussion and three broken ribs, but to know that our parents expressed their eternal love to her like that is something that will stay with her forever. 

This week I brought my new boyfriend from college to meet my parents. He grew up in a typical American household. His dad is an accountant; his mom is an engineer. They have a golden retriever and have dinner together as a family every Sunday night. Jamie walked in with me, grasping a basket of peaches to give to my parents. As soon as he handed them to my parents and greeted them, he went in with a hug, first to my mother. 

My mom was stunned. Absolutely frozen in her tracks. Her eyes widened with an empty look on her face. Her arms did not move. My boyfriend then released his grip, and moved onto my dad who was so shocked about the physical touch that he pushed him off. He acted as though Jamie had just attempted to assault him. 

My mother started crying hysterically – like a child lost in a park. My father, becoming more irate by the moment, started screaming and yelling in Mandarin at him to scram. My mother is on the floor at this point, curled up into a fetal position. My dad took out his gun, and Jamie was out the door. 

I honestly am not sure why Jamie even thought trying to hug my parents would be a good idea. Sure, you can do that kind of thing in your own house, but why would you ever try to impose it on someone else’s household? We don’t go into other people’s homes forcing them to take their shoes off and wear slippers indoors.