With the dawn of August, I hope that most of you are cooking on a beach somewhere, rather than suffering in some air-conditioned office. TLOTB&TC appears to be essentially deserted -- parking is a matter of turning the wheel to the curb. But I digress. While Emily Post is out of the office, a new bit of dining ettiquette to consider:
There are activities appropriate to the table. These include eating, drinking and talking, as well as sleeping and wild gesticulation under special circumstances.
Conversely, there are activities inappropriate to the table. These include trimming one's nails, evening up one's sideburns, changing one's tampon, or using a cellular telephone.
Applying disinfectants such as Purell falls into the latter category.* Furthermore, if one insists on being the kind of Viking who insists on such behavior, it is even more not OK to leave the expended bottle on the table for the waitstaff to address. (Lunchtime fourtop at Cafe Gitane the other day--this means you.)
*An appeal for tableside Purell application following post-midnight visit to dive bar restrooms is under consideration.
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