Miss Manners: Husband doesn’t get concept of hospitality

Dear Miss Manners: My husband and I recently went to a play with some other couples from our church. Afterward, one couple invited everyone else over to their house for refreshments. We were served some delicious cake and iced tea, and had a nice time.

Later, someone from the church told me that this couple was vegan. I didn’t know what vegan was, and she explained that they don’t eat any animal products. So I guess the cake didn’t have milk or eggs, but I don’t care. My husband, however, says they shouldn’t force their dietary preferences on other people. He says there might have been soy milk in it, and he hates soy milk.

I think he’s making a big deal out of nothing. Do you think it was rude of them to serve us vegan food when they know we’re probably not vegan?

Gentle Reader: These people offered you some delicious cake that may or may not have contained an ingredient to which your husband would have objected if only he had detected it at the time? The nerve!

The charge of force in connection with this gentle little visit would amuse Miss Manners if it were not so outrageous. Was your husband taken to this couple’s house by force? Was he force-fed the cake? Was he even lured in by the thought of an after-theater barbecue?

Apparently, the gentleman does not understand the concept of hospitality. Miss Manners advises keeping out of social circulation until he does.