Some Things Aren’t To Be Faxed

Dear Miss Manners: Today I received two erroneous faxes at my home fax machine, including extremely private information about the TB and HIV status of individuals who had been tested at one facility and were doing business with another. I often receive faxes of this nature, as the people dialing from different agencies or medical labs transpose numbers, or just have the wrong one.

The fine print on one of today’s faxes said that if I wasn’t the person for whom the fax was meant, I should phone the lab immediately and mail the fax back. But when I gave the lab the courtesy of a call, a rude and suspicious clerk asked me to fax it back to her. Should I have taken the time just to save her looking it up in her files?

I think it should be illegal to fax such sensitive information and would like to encourage workers to take care with privileged information.

Gentle Reader: Miss Manners can hardly wait until the novelty of the fax machine wears off. It is a highly useful gadget in its place, but there are too many people now who can’t keep their hands off it.

It’s not just wrong numbers, but wasted time. Current standard procedure seems to be to telephone the lucky recipient, either to ask for the fax number or to announce “I’m going to fax you,” and then to get the old machine rattling away on something that could have been said during the call or that doesn’t require attention for days or weeks, if ever.

There are other means of communication, and it is now necessary to exercise judgment in deciding which is appropriate for which kind of message. Those requiring privacy should not be faxed, even to the right machine. Miss Manners can think of few people who would care to have their medical histories hanging out in plain view of those they know, much less of strangers.

Dear Miss Manners: My partner and I recently rescued a beautiful Welsh corgi mix at the Humane Society. He’s a lovely dog with a shiny coat and captivating blue eyes.

All this is well and good, but while walking the dear through the streets of our fair city, I (we) receive many compliments on his good looks, especially his eyes. Had this been my human child, I’d be thrilled, since each compliment would reflect on my fabulous genes and upbringing.

Not being his biological parent, I don’t know how to respond. His lively features have nothing to do with me, really; I just chose him from amongst the many wonderful dogs at the shelter. I’d like to respond to these kind strangers’ comments, but I’m at a loss for words. I feel presumptuous saying “thank you” when it’s not “about” me.

What would be a polite response that doesn’t make me feel as if I were taking credit where it’s not due?

Gentle Reader: You might try following the conventions of human society, where we simply say “thank you” when idly complimented and leave it at that. Nobody who says “nice shoes” is mistaking the wearer for the cobbler.

Miss Manners promises you that the ability to handle speech that is not meant to be taken literally (in contrast to such statements as “Fetch!”) will distinguish you from the dog. No matter how shiny your coat, you will no longer have to fret about strangers’ assuming that you are the biological father.

xxxx

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Judith Martin United Features Syndicate