DEAR ABBY: Last week, we invited a couple for dinner this week. Two days before the party, I called to confirm the time and they said they'd be here.
On the evening of the dinner, they showed up two hours late without even a phone call. They said the husband had to work late. Neither of them offered an apology. We had tried twice to contact them before we finally decided to go ahead and eat. They seemed offended that we did.
Were we wrong to assume they weren't coming? If you haven't heard otherwise, how long should you wait for guests before eating without them? -- TIRED TO WAITING IN VIRGINIA
DEAR TIRED OF WAITING: You were not wrong to assume that your guests were no-shows and to have eaten dinner. That they failed to call and inform you that they had been delayed was rude. Thirty minutes is long enough to wait for tardy guests -- or less if there's danger the meal will be overcooked.