4@ - Sunday, January 22, 1989 - North Shere News PORTABLE TELEPHONES Phones disturb diner DEAR MISS MANNERS — Twice recently | have had the rude commercial question shouted unpleasant experience of dining next to a table where 2 por- table telephone was in use. Overhesring portions of the copversation was wnavoidrble, dSecause of my proximity to the call and the volume of the conversa- tion. [trust Miss Manners will vot chide me for exvesdropping, as in uelther instance was there a vacant table to which i could move, aor do I feei li polite or, for that mai- ter, feasible, (o attempt to eat with my fingers in my ears. i deduced from the joud lsugh - ter accompanying each call that the conversations were aot related to an emergency or to serious business. In both cases, there wes one other diver at the offending table who was completely ignored during the phone call. With this iatest technological in- trusion npon us, aust we diners who appreciate our peace and quiet ask for 2 separate ‘‘no por- tate phones” section in resteu- ranis? Perhaps Miss Manners would shed some light on how one should deal with this latest distressing battle in the techno- logy-versas-etiquette war. GENTLE READER — Your etiquette problem is nothing com- pared with that of dining partners of the telephoners. Had Miss Manners been one of them, she might have been tempted to excuse herself politely from the table in order to ring the person up for conversation. In your case, it is not the tech- nology that interfered with your meal, but the noise. You should merely have asked the waiter for a quieter table. DEAR MISS MANNERS — My 14-year-old son docs not like to ride roller coasters or any of the GENTLE READER — It is high time that your son iearned to buck peer pressure, or there is no telling whai he might be talked into against his inclinations. He is quite right that ‘They make me sick” is an unpleasantly vivid explanation. The best expla- nation is none at all. Amusement is, after ail, a matter of individual taste and requires no further justification. Learn about Japanese drumming LEARN ABOUT Japanese drum- ming at the nem meeting of the Seymour-Asumigaoka Friendship Society. Two members of the Katari Taiko group have been invited to give an informal talk and demonstration. Taiko are large drums and give an enormous sound, The Katari Taiko Group was founded in 1979 and now has 13 active performers. The group is a popular addition to the annuai Vancouver Powell Street Festival, and has performed at festivals across Canada and in the United States. The informa] talk and demonstration will take place Wednesday, Jan. 25, at 7:30 p.m., at Seycove Community School, Room 218. “Pa rather go over to the shooting gallery — I'll miect you there when you're finished’ should be sufficient. Pressed for an caplanation, he should not say more than a non-prejudicial ‘It's miss manners Judith Martin just not my idea of fun.” DEAR MISS MANNERS — Lately I have been heariug a rude question when I go to a store: “Was there something else?’’ The wey this question is ssked is an invasion of privacy, and I do not feel that it is right to pose such an usethical qecry in such an abrasive way. 1 am a very private person and do not want to have a 114A W. 15th St. North Van. regular prices for all e Drapery & sheer fabrics e Over 500 samples to choose from on Special for January Down Quilts, Vertical and Horizontal Blinds Capilano Draperies LIFESTYLES at me. GENTLE READER — That is not a rude commercial question. A tude commercial question is “Can't you see I'm on my break?"’ or **What do you want that for?"" Miss Manners really cannot have people taking insult so easily, when tiere are so many genuine insults flying about. ‘“‘Was there some- thing else?"’ simply means ‘Does this conclude the transaction, or do you have any other requests?"’ DEAR MISS MANNERS — My sister is a single parent of a soon- to-be one year old. She is planning a birthday party for the baby with 40 guests. Some of these people are only acquaintances, and most of them don’t have children. I think 2 child's birthday party is a family affair and my sister is displaying poor taste in making such an occasion of it. GENTLE READER — Miss Manners agrees that before children are old enough to have friends of their own (which is to say, people, however small, whose birthdays they are happy to cele- brate, however primitively), they - depend for birthday guests on the kind of unquestioning enthusiasm that can only be supplied by rela- tives. Unfortunately, she is afraid that your sister might find this out as people respond to her invitation. Childless acquaintances are not generally dying to go to the birth- day parties of babies. The lesson for your sister would be that any inclination she has to overcompen- sate for the absence of the child’s father, by demanding that her child receive special treatment from others, is inappropriate. Our Annual 988-5627 PROTECT YOUR LUNGS DON’T SMOKE FRENCH LANGUAGE TRAINING Efficient up-to-date methods ALL LEVELS Starting January 23, 1989 Village Square, 1425 Marine Drive’ Information: Alliance Francaise Suite #310, West vancouver _ Registration: Sat. Jan. 21s Mon. Jan, 23rd 5-6 pm , 10-12 noon 327-0201 Clair Dawkins, RMT- & and the North Shore § Winter Club are pleas- ed to announce the opening of Clair’s new § _ Massage Therapy prac- : tise at the © NORTH SHORE WINTER CLUB # 1325 EAST KEITH ROAD ‘ NORTH VANCOUVER, BC. For appointments and information call us at 985-4135 Chai i is looking forward to seeing you | in 1989. Match Your Colors. No more guessing when our ACCUMATCH Color Computer matches quality Pittsburgh’ Paints to your wallcovering, fabric or other decorative accents! The ACCUMATCH Color Computer lets us matcti colors taster than ever before...while you wait! Stoo in and see this color matching marve! from Pittsburgh Paints! MATCH. GRAND OPENING Your North Shore Total Decorating Store : olvm PIR PAINT TILE = WATCH FOR OUR SPECIALS 1660 Pemberton (at Marine Dr.) next io eve: On-Foods 3330