DEAR ABBY: My husband and I were invited to a dinner party. Then our hostess told us that guests must bring their own plates and silverware or we would not be permitted to join the dinner. I thought it was extremely tacky; my husband saw no problem with it. What are your thoughts? -- DINNER GUEST IN DENVER
DEAR DINNER GUEST: Let's put it this way -- your hostess's request was highly unusual. Perhaps the woman didn't have enough china and silverware to accommodate all the people she wanted to come. Of course, she could have provided paper plates and plastic flatware -- and that's what you should have brought so you wouldn't have had to carry home and wash your dirty dishes.
P.S. If you chose to attend the woman's dinner party knowing the circumstances, it's not very nice to now be biting the hand that fed you.