> At my previous job there was a woman who would walk by my
> office daily and yell my name in a loud voice--just to see my
> reaction (heartless bitch).  Of course, I would jump--and just
> feel miserable (almost flu-like) for three or four minutes
> afterwards.  I asked her to please stop, but she just thought
> it was the funniest thing in the world.
>
> Glad to be away from it!
>
This woman was rathe unfeeling.

My wife, Linda, has a quite pronounced startle reflex. I remember
taking her to a midnight matinee of "the Omen" before we were
married. Six of us from my Student House went together, but two
of the group had to sit in the row behind us because the cinema
was quite crowded.

During the scene with the dogs in the cemetary I noticed that Lin
was straining forward, tensing right on the edge of the seat.
Unfortunaately so did my mate Eddy sitting behind, he leant
forward and gave her a sharp dig in the ribs.

When the dust settled I noticed the seat next to me was now
vacant and Lin had her head in the lap of the stranger in front
with her legs akimbo in the air.

Eddy was very concerned at the severity of the reaction provoked,
but not as concerned as the poor chap in front who appeared to
have lost 10yrs from his life, as though he imaagined that one of
the Rottweilers had leapt from the screen and attacked his nether
regions.

PS Eddy totally redeemed himself when, a few months later, after
we had married, my wife (kindly!) let slip that I had failed
miserably to carry her over the threshold on our wedding night.
He promptly offered to carry her all the way home (3 miles at
about 2 in the morning), serenading her in the style of Caruso
the whole way. How fortunate that I was more successful at other
traditional wedding night ceremonies!!

Cheers

--
Deri James