Grooming Habits of the Young and in Love

The best things seem to happen on the subway. I have frequent internal debates with myself - listen to my ipod, or eavesdrop on whatever totally banal or insane conversation might be happening within earshot. I didn't need my ears tonight - there was this young-ish couple, see? Maybe 20 or so. They seemed to be grooming each other, a la monkey grooming. Maybe not quite picking for lice/gnats/what have you (bed bugs, perhaps?) but somehow... cleaning each other, picking/wiping dirt off, in such a beastly way, in a way I've never seen humans engage with one another. Is this where we're headed?