099
BARRIER OBJECT
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A bag, cup, laptop, or other object is held or placed between two people.
MEANS
A wish for distance or protection, often unconscious.
CONTEXT
Watch for the moment a barrier appears. A person who pulls their bag onto their lap mid-conversation has just put up a wall. A glass held in front of the chest does the same. The object is usually moved later as comfort grows.
NOT
An object used functionally — eating, drinking, working.
