Affection or Protection? Ray Helminiak said that with lousy spring weather, he switched from country lanes to shopping malls for his daily stroll. There the weather is always under control, and it's simply great for people watching.

"One day, I noticed a senior citizen couple strolling along, holding hands," Ray said. The next day, I saw the same couple, and this time they were not only holding hands, the man had a firm grip o…