DEAR MISS MANNERS: We now have develop into pals with one other couple over the previous two years, and we often invite them for dinner.
Currently, I’ve observed that the husband leaves the bathroom seat up after utilizing the lavatory. Each my husband and I’ve a behavior of closing the lid earlier than flushing.
Is there a method I can politely carry this up with our visitor?
My husband believes it will be impolite for me to say it and that I ought to do nothing.
If not a well mannered dialog, is it impolite to depart somewhat framed signal within the toilet: “Please close lid before flushing”?
GENTLE READER: Are you certain that’s what you actually need?
As a result of in case your visitor (or anybody, actually) closes the lid earlier than flushing — with no fast look behind to ensure that every thing is … expunged — you may get an disagreeable shock if you return.
Miss Manners suggests that you just do your finest to disregard your visitors’ toilet habits and resist placing up that signal.
Folks have all types of personal behaviors, and neither you nor she actually wants to listen to about them (she thanks her light readers prematurely for sparing her).
If you happen to completely can not management your self, nonetheless, subsequent time it occurs, she’s going to allow you to show to your husband in entrance of the visitor and in a loud stage whisper, say, “I’m afraid the cat was drinking out of the toilet again. He always does that when the lid is left up.”
In fact, your husband should consent to the ruse, and you could want to obtain a cat.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I’ve a superb relationship with my neighbors throughout the road — we’re not pals, however now we have a pleasant, pleasant method with one another.
Sometimes they ask me to carry their mail into the home when they’re gone for longer durations of time — and right here comes the dilemma.
As a “thank you,” they at all times give us a bottle of wine. The bottles haven’t any sleeves or some other figuring out marks on them.
We don’t drink wine. By no means has anybody seen us drink it, as a result of we don’t! But, I’ve a cupboard stuffed with unmarked bottles that I don’t know what to do with.
After years of receiving bottle after bottle, I don’t understand how I may let my neighbors know that we actually don’t need them.
I can’t even regift them to another person, as a result of they haven’t any sleeves on them. What can I do?
GENTLE READER: Unmarked bottles of wine, like unmarked white vans, are to not be trusted.
Miss Manners suggests you proceed to simply accept them graciously after which discreetly pour the contents down the drain — and be sure you get rid of the empty bottles within the subsequent city over.
If you are discarding issues, nonetheless, please dispose of your outrage over mere acquaintances not realizing the particulars of your consuming habits. It makes your case ever so barely much less sympathetic.
Your neighbors had been attempting to please you, though they failed. That they don’t examine your consuming habits from afar is an efficient factor.
