The MAtH (man about the house) is away in San Francisco this week, so our normal chat about Dianne Isbell's Monday Etiquette column from the Belleville News-Democrat is a little late. California is two hours behind us so his phone call home just finished. But, happily, the first thing the MAtH asked about was Dianne's column...old habits are hard to break.
MAtH: I sure miss being home and reading the papers with you while we watch the news.
Me: Well, I miss having you here too, so much news today, its hard to make sense of it alone.
MAtH: What's happening?
Me: Well, Dianne writes exclusively on cell phone manners today.
MAtH: Hello?
Me: Have we been cut off?
MAtH: Are you there?
Me: I hear you, I know what you're doing.
Me: Anyhow, I know you don't have a lot of time, but listen to this, another man etiqutte thing, but his time his wife writes Dianne for him.
MAtH: Mark is picking me up in half an hour.
Me: "When my husband read the item about the sign in the shop about conducting cell phone calls in the hallway, he turned to me and said he wished restaurants would put up a sign about people removing caps when they eat."
Me: Hey, did you notice that? Another couple sits and talk about Dianne's column too!
MAtH: Great minds think alike.
MAtH: Wait, read that again.
Me: blah blah blah blah blah...remove caps in restaurants...
MAtH: I agree with that guy, I have always hated seeing men out eating with their baseball caps on. Hats off, haven't I always said that? Makes you wonder about how they were raised.
Me: I remember when you walked up and actually took a guys cap off one time.
MAtH: Yeah, but that was in class after I had asked him politely to remove it.
Me: Dianne answers this wife, "If ill manners like these continue, perhaps we will see a sign, but hopefully it will be worded more tactfully and politely than the one you quoted, 'no shoes no shirts, no service'. "Please remove hats while eating?"
MatH: I don't get that, what's untactful about "no shoes, no shirts, no service", I see it all the time. And is Dianne's suggestion a question or what? "Please remove hats while eating?"
Me:
MAth: Look, I really have to get ready to go, anything else new?
Me: Well, there seems to be a leak in the upstairs bathroom. What should I do?
MAtH:
Me: Hello? Hello?
Me: Darn cell phones