Static
You know how when you get out of the car on a dry day, and you sometimes get a hock when you touch the metalwork of the door? Well, that happens to me a lot. I seem to generate and hold static electricity rather well. I am, in effect, a large Van de Graaf generator. In my student years, I discovered that I would inadvertently blow up electronic circuits, which I've had to be careful of since.

Anyway, at secondary school in the '80s, I used to wear a parka during winter months. You know the type, green with an orange lining and furry hood. If I ran down the stairs, rubbing my sleeve on the plastic banisters, I could generate some significant charge. The discharge initially happened accidentally (no taking that phrase out of context, now!) when I touched something metallic, but I soon learned that I could touch my finger to some point of someone else's anatomy, and give them a shock.

Numerous girls at my school had their noses sparked by me over that period.

Did I mention I was quite late in losing my virginity....?
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Mon 2 Feb 2009, 14:41, 3 replies)

"sparks flew"
"It was just electric"
"I felt like I'd been struck by lightning"
"My digital watch is broken..."
( monkeybananaraffle, Mon 2 Feb 2009, 15:03, closed)

Did you fidget a lot?
I used to become rather sparky sitting on school chairs, and that is the only explanation I can come up with.
(Not him., Mon 2 Feb 2009, 19:43, closed)

I think
it's just the fact I wore rubber soled shoes a lot!
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Tue 3 Feb 2009, 12:22, closed)