DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband and I attend our native college basketball video games. As a result of he’s exhausting of listening to, we’re very acutely aware of the harm the excessively loud noise can do to 1’s ears.
We each put on listening to safety on the video games: him to guard what he has left, and me to protect the nice listening to that I’ve.
I’m very a lot bothered once I see younger youngsters, some solely infants, who’re in attendance with out listening to safety. I do know that chatting with the younger mother and father would probably be seen as objectively intrusive by a busybody grandma, but I strongly really feel an urge to alert them to the harm that may be accomplished to younger ears.
Is there a rule of etiquette that speaks to this case?
GENTLE READER: There may be, and it prohibits you from telling strangers the best way to stay their lives.
Miss Manners realizes that this appears harsh: One is allowed to yell or seize individuals to stop them from being hit by a automobile, so why not one thing that feels — to you, from your personal expertise — no much less threatening?
Sadly, there are sufficient dangerous issues that would occur that if everybody have been continually coming as much as us to inform us what to not do, we might be inundated.
This rule doesn’t apply to companies, nevertheless, so it is best to be at liberty to specific your considerations to the venue and the groups.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I’ve a pricey buddy who sometimes attends capabilities with me the place meals is accessible — often breakfasts.
She invariably takes an merchandise (a bagel, muffin or cookie, say), breaks off the quantity she needs after which places the rest again on the serving platter.
I believe that is fallacious, as she’s touching the meals with naked palms and returning it for others to eat. If it’s a casserole or one thing to be scooped up with utensils, that’s superb, however not a single-serving baked merchandise that she’s touching.
She thinks it’s an excellent apply to not waste meals that she gained’t eat and, if she simply needs “a taste,” it’s OK for her to interrupt off what she needs.
Apparently sufficient, once I bake an merchandise for house, like brownies or a pie or casserole, I have a tendency to permit individuals to decide on their very own dimension/portion. But if this identical buddy is current, she is going to seize a knife and reduce the merchandise into equal parts, regardless of being requested not to take action!
Is it me or is there a proper reply?
GENTLE READER: Your buddy is a public menace, isn’t she?
The appropriate reply is for her to be an excellent visitor, which suggests not making an attempt to play hostess and protecting her palms off meals meant for different individuals. At capabilities you’re each attending, this additionally applies to you.
In your personal house, Miss Manners recommends strolling the platter round, as that can restrict her entry to the serving knife — or at the least to a secure floor on which to make use of it.
Please ship your inquiries to Miss Manners at her web site, www.missmanners.com; to her e-mail, gentlereader@missmanners.com; or by way of postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas Metropolis, MO 64106.
