DEAR ABBY: I recently visited family I haven't seen in a long time. They had urged me to come and bring my baby so we could spend time with them. While we were there, we had some good conversations, but they had their TV on, so a lot of the time their eyes were glued to the television screen and no one was talking.
I wanted to say something because I had traveled so far -– at their request -– and they just sat there like zombies much of the time.
Is it rude to have the TV on when you invite guests to your home? Would I have been out of line to have said something to them, rather than stewing about it later? -– TUBED OUT IN KENTUCKY
DEAR TUBED OUT: The answer to both of your questions is yes. While they were rude to have kept the television on during your visit, it would have been equally rude for you to have called them on their bad manners.