My wife’s relationship with her son is creeping me out

DEAR ABBY: My stepson, who is 24, has Asperger’s syndrome. He is high functioning, very intelligent and has a great work ethic. He still lives at home, and I have noticed that he “must” touch his mother every day. There are times he stands behind her and strokes her hair and rubs her neck and shoulders. I think it’s odd and, to be honest, it kind of bothers me. It’s not a jealousy thing, it just strikes me as creepy.

I don’t think a 24-year-old should be caressing his mother that way. She doesn’t think it’s wrong, and when I mentioned it to her, she became offended. I know I may be wrong, and I try to understand that it may be part of his Asperger’s. Am I off base? Help me understand. — CREEPED OUT IN INDIANA