If someone beats you in the 100 yard dash by a second or less, you probably ran a good race and finished close to them. You might both be slow but at least one of you isn't that much slower than the other one. On the other hand, if you're beaten by two seconds, you might want to reconsider who you line up with the next time you run. It's not a blowout - but it's clear that you lost, and you don't have a chance at beating them next time. Don't walk side by side with the person who beat you unless you want to hear your name being used at the butt of a joke. If you're beaten by three seconds, however, you've probably just embarrassed yourself. That's not even a competition, to be honest. You probably lined up with your opponent because you didn't have anyone else to pair up with. Definitely do not walk back with this person - have some pride. Either fake an injury or pretend to vomit. At 3 seconds it's okay to make an excuse.
If you've taken only one second to put your change in your wallet after purchasing an item, you're pretty talented. You can walk away from the cash register with pride, and maybe even give a passing smile to the cashier and the next person waiting in line. This is a difficult skill to master and I have the utmost respect for those who do it well. If you take two seconds, you need to practice at home and try better next time. Nobody wants to watch you fumble around with your wallet and drop change all over the place. Don't say thank you to the cashier, just get your things and go. You're not special and nobody cares if you're sorry. If you really can't get yourself together and it takes you three seconds to put your change away, either consider never using cash again or sticking to using your credit/debit card. Quickly grab your items before the cashier takes them back and says you don't deserve them. Do not try to smile or act cute - this is not a trivial event and you need to seriously consider your actions and whether you're fit to be in service lines. If you're at Walmart or the gas station be prepared to throw hands with the next person in line.
If you shake someone's hand for just one second, your shaking partner will either conclude that you are 1. weird, 2. are in a hurry, or 3. don't have any social skills. One second is just too fast, unless 123+ people are waiting to shake your hand, which would mean you're either 1. famous, or 2. the president, which you're not, because if you were, you wouldn't be reading this. Two seconds is the ideal time to shake someone's hand. A handy stopwatch is a convenient tool to use in this situation and if you're observant you'll see the more skilled hand-shakers quickly glance down at their left hand (because you always shake with your right) and check their timing. On the other hand (but not really), 3 seconds is just enough time to completely ruin the moment. The first problem comes along with the fact that it's expected to look people in the eye when shaking hands. A 3 second stare says that you are either 1. weird, 2. don't have any social skills, or 3. are infatuated with your shaking partner. Try looking at someone in the eyes without saying a word for three seconds and you'll realize how long that really is. Secondly, squeezing another person's hand for three seconds is just enough time to feel 1. their sweat, 2. moisture from washing one's hands, or 3. an absence of that moisture which means this person is neither clean nor safe, and nobody needs to know all of that information.
Thirdly, and lastly, if you want to see a perfect example of how NOT to shake someone's hand by our current president, click here.
Thirdly, and lastly, if you want to see a perfect example of how NOT to shake someone's hand by our current president, click here.
