DEAR MISS MANNERS: I received a text from an individual stating they had an opening with a certain company and would like to know if I was interested. When I asked what hours they were looking for, they responded fairly quickly.

But when I asked a couple of follow-up questions, one of which being could they match or exceed the pay of my current employer, I heard nothing. I assumed they were no longer interested.

The next day, I sent them a text stating that, while I wasn't so much upset over not being offered a job, I would have appreciated it if they would have just said so. They replied an hour or two later that they were out of the office and unable to reply. My response was that it was rude to leave in the middle of a conversation, regardless of whether in-person or by text, and that at the very least, if they had to go, they should have warned me by saying so.

I no longer have any interest in working for this company. Am I wrong to expect a semi-quick response? Even when I'm busy, at work or otherwise (when I'm driving, I have an app that does it for me automatically), I'm always quick to respond to messages with a "Can't talk now, I'll let you know when I can."

GENTLE READER: There is no etiquette rule requiring the recipient of a text to drop everything and respond instantly. But once having begun such a conversation, Miss Manners agrees that one should not leave without explanation.

Given the number of acronyms and misspellings in fashion among texters, she hopes they will have no trouble assimilating SSGG ("So sorry, gotta go"), IHM ("I hear (my) mother (calling)") and RHOF ("Running: house on fire").

DEAR MISS MANNERS: As we were entering the vestibule of the church for my father's funeral, my neighbor was there, passing out stapled, typewritten sheaves of papers. He handed one to my elderly mom, just widowed.

I gently took it from her, seeing her bewildered look. After settling her in the pew, I saw that it was a story on the untimely death of his son in high school from a head injury during football, over 30 years ago.

I was flabbergasted. My folks did not even know this couple or their son, and my neighbor was trying to upstage my father's death and my family's grief with his own story of struggling with his son's death. What should I have done or said to politely stop him from badgering the funeral guests with his misguided handouts?

GENTLE READER: It is just possible that the neighbor was oblivious to the circumstances, or to how his actions would be interpreted. But irrespective of whether his callousness was intentional, Miss Manners' goal would be to get him out of the way as quickly, and with as little discussion, as possible.

The person to tell him "This is a funeral; we would appreciate it if you would go somewhere else and let these mourners grieve," is neither your mother nor yourself, but someone less bereaved, who can take a stern tone without feeling (much less displaying) anger. The clergyman or someone from the church would be ideal, but a physically impressive, older friend or relative would do.

(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was always taught that when a car stops to let you cross the street, you should give a quick wave as you pass to thank the driver for their courtesy. I now live in a city with a number of self-driving cars, and I don't know whether to wave to them or not.

Though I am causing the passengers some small inconvenience, the car is the one actually making the decision to stop. I've been defaulting to waving so far, but the time is fast approaching when there will be cars without any people in them. Do I wave to the robots even if it feels a bit silly?

GENTLE READER: Technically, you shouldn't have to, and Miss Manners agrees that it is colossally silly to anthropomorphize technology.

And yet. And yet.

She is weaseling because this has become a common phenomenon, even a requirement in using various devices that have names and respond to voice commands. As they do not require courtesy, they are getting people in the habit of omitting the phrases with which we soften our speech. Surely an occasional feeling of silliness is better than the habit of rudeness.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: How do I let my handful of sisters know that I love them without having to reply and acknowledge every "I love my sisters" post?

I come from a big family, and am super close to my brothers, and not so much my sisters, but I do love them. Individually, my sisters will often post something about sisters and how much they love each other. Others in the family will chime in that they love their sisters and all of us in the group.

I have personal rules about how I use social media. Yet, if I don't participate, I am afraid that they will think I DON'T love them. That has been argued when a sister wanted me to go against my rules about not forwarding/re-posting things.

GENTLE READER: This does sound a bit forced and tedious, Miss Manners agrees. But given the choice between typing three words and dealing with pouting relatives, surely the former is less trouble.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I always bring a little something with me when I am invited over, either something generic like flowers or homemade bread, or something specific like wine or cigars if I know someone's tastes.

But in this day and age, it seems odd to refer to these things as "hostess gifts."

Some of my friends are single gentlemen who live alone. Some are partnered gentlemen couples. And among my partnered opposite sex friends are two couples where the male member is the one who excels at party planning and entertaining. 

Is there a more gender-neutral name for this token of appreciation for hospitality? "Host gift" doesn't roll off the tongue in quite the same way.

GENTLE READER: Why would you roll out any such term? Miss Manners hopes you haven't been telling ladies, "Here, I brought you a hostess gift," thus making it sound as if you are paying a tax. Just hand it to the person who is entertaining you.

(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have been a member of a pub trivia team for several years. (The gist of the game is that the questions are read aloud to the room, each team is given 2 to 3 minutes to write down and submit an answer, the answer is announced, and points are assigned based on team response. Highest points at the end of the evening results in a nominal gift to that team.)

One of the other members has invited a new person, Ernie, to join our team. He is quite pleasant and fun. The only problem is that he cheats.

Mind you, I cannot prove he cheats, but when we are presented with a question to which we do not know the answer, he conveniently leaves to "answer a phone call" or "go to the restroom," and when he returns to the table, miraculously, he knows the answer. This bothers me to the extreme. No one else on the team seems to notice or care.

My response has been to simply become unavailable on game night. I am now getting calls and emails from the other team members saying my presence is missed and when will I be returning? I do miss playing, but sitting at the table with a suspected cheater makes me miserable.

GENTLE READER: Cheating, even at amateur games, is such a serious offense that accusing someone of cheating is apt to end in a duel. Miss Manners is not surprised that you want to escape before introducing violence into your friendly game.

What you can do instead is to suggest a new rule: that absence from any one round bars you from that round. Ernie is not going to want to call attention to himself by objecting.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am really excited about an upcoming event, and am trying to solve all possible problems ahead of time. Yesterday, two people asked me (over email) to stop sending them so many emails.

Should I write back and say, "OK, I will try not to send so many emails"? It seems annoying and contradictory to write back; however, I feel like I should respond when people email me, and I don't want to seem angry.

GENTLE READER: And you could send one after that, saying, "I hope you got my email about not sending so many emails." But only if you don't care if they attend the event.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Would it be appropriate to offer my cousin's daughter who is getting married the cost of our trip to her wedding ($1,000) instead of our attending the wedding?

Cousin and I are fairly close. He does not have many family members left in this world. I do not want to make an offer that is inappropriate.

GENTLE READER: Then do not suggest to your cousin that money would mean more to her than the presence of one of her few family members left. The only thing that Miss Manners would consider worse would be if she seemed pleased.

(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)