Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Nose-blowing ruins lunch dates

Marcy Sugar and Kathy Mitchell Creators Syndicate

Dear Annie: My husband and I meet up with a group of family and close friends every week for lunch.

One couple in this group (a close family member and her spouse) constantly blow their noses during our get-togethers. They use cloth handkerchiefs, which are then reused multiple times, and her husband picks his nose, as well. It is nauseating to all of us, not to mention to other diners nearby. A few of the couples have told us they will not attend any more lunches unless absolutely necessary.

We do not want a family feud, but I think we need to do something before our social gatherings fall apart. The one with the most appalling manners is a college graduate with an excellent job. You would think he would know better, but it’s difficult to tell him anything. How do we fix this without alienating them altogether? – Sickened and Frustrated

Dear Sickened: People who believe they are entitled to nauseate others because they have sinus issues are not likely to listen to anyone. Some friends and family tolerate these unpleasant encounters because they value the person enough to put up with the constant nose-blowing, no matter how unappetizing. Yet these tolerated friends do not seem to give the same value to their companions’ sensitivities. (There is no excuse for picking one’s nose.)

While we understand and sympathize with folks who have terrible allergies and need to dab at their noses frequently, that is not the same as major nose and throat clearing where mucus exits the system. For those moments, a trip to the restroom is called for, even if that means absenting yourself from the table more often than you’d like. The other alternative, of course, is to meet at a place where you will not be eating.