DEAR MISS MANNERS: One of my dinner guests, after eating chicken piccata, rice, broccoli and salad, stated: “I couldn’t eat here every night or I would gain so much weight!“
I said, “I don’t think so,” and he stated, “I’m just making conversation.” What do you think?
GENTLE READER: That he is not likely to make such a remark again. One way to stop a careless remark is to take it at face value.
But you and Miss Manners both know that what your guest meant was not that your food is fattening, but that it is so good that he would not be able to control himself. So don’t be too hard on him.