And people were giving me a bit of a wide berth.

berth (n) : 1. (aut.) (a) convenient sea room (b) a room in which a number of the officers or ship’s company mess and reside (c) the place where a ship lies when she is at anchor, or at a wharf 2: an allotted place; an appointment; situation or employment 3: a place in a ship to sleep in; a long box or shelf on the side of a cabin or stateroom, or of a railway car, for sleeping in – source: The Two Towers SEE R1, disc three