. & 4€ — Wednesday, August 26, 1992 — North Shore News What’s the protocol on tiny terrors in restaurants? DEAR MISS MANNERS — A family comes into a res- taurant with two children aged approximately 7 and 8, parents sit down, and childrer immediately Start screaming as loudly as possibie and running through the restaurant and playing chase. Children come cunning toward tabie where sit two gentlemen, approximately mid-50s. As they race by, one gentleman reaches out, grabs both by collars, and, turning toward the manager (halfway across restaurant behind counter), shouts in booming voice: “Cali the police!” Father, hearing kids screaming, stalks over, angry, and orders release of children. Geztleman: “Your brats sare creating a pubiic nuisunce and I am golag to charge them with same. They will be reljezsed when the police get here,”’ Father: ‘“‘Let them go or 2°) kick the *$#*& ont of you!’’ Gentleman: “You do that, but Rotice behind me that cane in the booth? I don’t carry that for dec- oration. You hit me, and my system inside will react. i have no immune system to any sudden blows, infection, anything else. You may win that battle, buat within a day at most, what wiil happen is my system wifi give up and VR die — literally.” (It turn- ed out later that he has multiple sclerosis.) Father:‘‘Let them go or else."” Gentleman: “You can do your ‘or else’, but your kids are in trouble already and you can compound it by interfering further. As it is, you’re getting one large lawsuit thrown against you tomorrow for a host of charges: based on what these Litto savages have caused al- ready ~— emectional distress, harassment of ckizens, disturbing This went on for another 45 rainutes before the police arrived, when the gentleman released the kids, and everybody departed. The gentleman. turned to tell his friead that. he: had. signed a comp!sint against -the kids for everything be could think of (those above, plus a few others) and against the fa- | JENN-AIR = EXPRESSIONS” COLLECTION DOUBLE COOKTOP ® Backlit controls with glowing indicator rings : * Grill covers cover gal oot in use R * Also available in designer white. a) “Convection Cooking © Downdraft ventilation with variable-speed fan e © Accepts opti ional cooktop ca canttidges and accessories n COLONY HOME FURNISHINGS 1075 Roosevelt Crescent North Vancouver OPEN DAILY Fri. 9-9, Sun. 42-4 (2 blocks behind the Avalon Hotel) MISS MANNERS ther (fer threatening him with assault, attempted murder, etc.), that he would file 2 civil-court lawsuit the next day on simifar charges. It seemed drastic to me, but he was in a talkative mood and I asked him why he wa3 doing this. He said he didn’t like sharing his mealtime with rude, arrogant and selfish families who did not have a sense of common courtesy toward others. Did he have any justification for grabbing the children to stop them? Should he have directed his views discreetly to the parents be- fore taking action? Should he have called the police before tak- ing action? Should the restaurant manager have stepped in immediately, in- stead of standing there snd wat- . ching the children? How should the father have handled the chiidven’s running? . Could the father have filed charges against the gentleman for molesting or assaulting his kids? How would Miss Manners have — dealt with the situation effective- ly? JENN-AIR 27" ELECTRIC WALL OVEN * Electronic clock yich timer © Lame capacity self- cleaning oven © Theee-rack convection baking . See: through oven . Alo available in igner white. REBATE GP IENB with opboral Medel AHISOB Hidegen fartnoge. S50| GENTLE READER — By us- ing the one available system no one here seems to have thought of, even though it was piously (and incorrectly) invoked: cti- quette, Common courtesy, indeed! Not only were there no manners displayed here by anyone, but they all seemed to share the belief that the only possible ways of resolving the resulting conflict were violence and the law. The former is worse than rudeness, and the latter is a lot more expen- sive. Here’s what should have hap- pened: The parents should have warned their children beforehand not to disturb others at the restaurant. If the children did so anyway, they should have asserted their authori- ty lo stop them, if necessary by removing them from the premises. As this was not the case, the manager should have noticed the commotion and politely inquired of the parents what could be done to calm the chiidren and give them, as well 2s everybody else, a pleasant evening. This guict and unchalienging approach works better than in- sulting people about their children, but had it not worked, the manager should have politely requested them to leave, on the grounds that this was not the sort of ‘‘family restaurant’? (the trade euphemism for ‘‘nothing break- able’’} they apparently wanted. This manager had failed to take such notice, but the disturbed patron could have politely re- guested him to do so. This way, he could have completely avoided having any confrontations with the offensive family, let alone ones that gave them as much cause to complain of him as he of them. Miss Manners realizes that angry people find these civilized methods unsatisfying, but they ac- tually sometimes work whereas tude challenges never do. TO OUR VALUED “60 PLUS” CUSTOMERS: We've got a golden savings opportunity for you! Come in and take advantage of a 15% savings on almost everything in the store! Just show us that Govern- }- ment of Canada Blue Card, Senior Citizen Transportation Card, Provincial Senior | Citizen Card, Driver’s Licence or Birth Certificate. EXEMPTIONS: Offer does not include: Tobacco Products, Prescriptions, Magazines, Major Appliances, Microwaves, Stereos, Televisions, Video/Electronic, Computers, Computer Games, Cameras, Automotive Labour, Lay-a-way Fees, C.0.D. Orders, Delivery Charges, Gift Certificates, Restaurant 10% Discount Everyday. CAPILANO NORTH VANCOUVER | 925-MARINE DRIVE 988-6311 lours: Monday to Wednesday 10am-6pm : Thursday and Friday _ Wan: ‘Spm Saturday 9:30-69m Sunday tiam-5pm Garden Centre opens tiam Sunday