DEAR ABBY: Please say something to the clueless herd who have never been taught not to ask personal questions.
I have been asked everything -- my age, weight, height, income, religion and what I paid for everything I own. I was once even asked if I had ever had serious marital problems.
Are people not taught common manners anymore? Everyone who asked me was well over 21 and should have known better. Please tell people how ignorant they sound, and how dumbfounded polite people can be when this situation comes up.
Oh! And while you're at it, please tell them to keep the details of their sex lives to themselves. -- HORRIFIED IN VIRGINIA
DEAR HORRIFIED: To get to the heart of your letter -- your question about whether people are taught common manners anymore -- the answer, sadly, is no, very often they are not.
For anyone who is not aware, the questions listed in paragraph two of "Horrified's" letter are all off-limits as being overly personal. And unless someone is confiding in a trusted friend, to describe the details of one's sex life can be extremely embarrassing to the listener.