Joe,

Here you go, from Merriam-Webster:

        Main Entry: ag.o.ra.pho.bia
        Pronunciation: "a-g(&-)r&-'fO-bE-&
        Function: noun
        Etymology: New Latin, from Greek agora + New Latin -phobia
        : abnormal fear of being helpless in an embarrassing or unescapable
situation that  is characterized especially by the avoidance of open or
public places

And for you retro science fiction fans, read "The Caves of Steel", by Isaac
Asimov.  It's about an entire society afraid to go outside. I think it was a
sequel to "I, Robot".

ChrisR

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Joseph Fortino
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 8:23 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: OT: question

hello all,

I have ran into something i don't quite understand, I ride bikes alot and
was out with a friend that
says he has ghorphobia? well we were out in a very open space alone and he
freaked big time
saying he was going to hurt me.  has anyone ever been threw some type of
this, curently i'm just
staying away without making a super big deal out of it.

thanks and sorry for the OT but i'm sure some have seen this? or maybe not.
knowing my luck.. hehe

he said its a fear of being alone?

Joe