# For the love of God, please use a napkin. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 13, 2002, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589 "2002-12-13T19:52:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siemsi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@Siemsi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siemsi)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/1 "2002-12-13T19:52:35Z")
I went to lunch today with a co-worker of mine. Nice guy, great to hang around with. We go to a Chinese buffet. I choose the sweet-n-sour chicken, my co-worker chooses the sesame chicken. We are at our table. The food is good. Happily conversing. Suddenly, he reaches in his mouth (full of food) and graps this huge piece of grissle. This gelatinous piece of grissle is at least 4 " long. (No, I’m not exaggerating). He attempts to figure out what this piece of ABC grissle is. He places it on his plate. God. No. Please. Stop. Please. Make. It. Stop. _ **appetite gone** _\*\* feeling nauseous\*\*\*\*\*\* I stopped eating and pretended like nothing happened. I had to force my mouth shut from disgust. I should have said, “Didn’t your momma teach you to place a napkin to your mouth to discard of a foul object?” But I did not. I guess his momma did not teach him that. I was disgusted. Lost my appetite. Now, 3 hours later, I’m hungry. Please people, for the love of God, use a napkin. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/2 "2002-12-13T21:11:22Z")
Ew. He reached in his mouth that was occupied by semi-masticated food to fish around for cartilage, placed the ‘treasure’ on his plate and left it there in plain view for his dining companion to enjoy? That’s just gross. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/3 "2002-12-13T21:16:11Z")
“Hey, you gonna eat that?” 😃 😃 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lothos2002](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/df788c/32.png) [@lothos2002](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lothos2002)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/4 "2002-12-13T21:23:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Siemsi \* > **I Now, 3 hours later, I’m hungry.** When I have Chinese food I find I’m hungry again after an hour. You did better. Seriously though, that is DIS-GUS-TING. I would definately have said something, at least YUUUK. I admire your capacity for being polite in those circumstances. Heck, I’m getting queasy just picturing it in my mind!!! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/5 "2002-12-13T21:26:42Z")
I have nothing to add except to point out that for a few minutes this thread was right above the one titled “My butthole itches.” ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/6 "2002-12-13T22:11:57Z")
**DA** - better if it had been right _below_ that one! 😃 **SCSimmons** , you’re twisted, sick and disgusting. And that’s a compliment. 🙂 As to the OP: I’m in full agreement. Yecch. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/7 "2002-12-13T22:43:10Z")
I had the wonderful epiphany of seeing these **three** threads lined up when I logged on a moment ago: What the hell is wrong with me? My butthole itches For the love of God, please use a napkin. If only the “Won’t somebody please stop the farting?” thread had been thrown in there somewhere, it would have been amazing. ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/8 "2002-12-14T01:19:34Z")
I guess I’m the only one who isn’t really grossed out by this. I mean gee, it’s just some chewed up food. It’s not like he vomited on the table or anything. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/9 "2002-12-14T02:03:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jinwicked \* > \*\*I guess I’m the only one who isn’t really grossed out by this. I mean gee, it’s just some chewed up food. It’s not like he vomited on the table or anything. \*\* You gonna drink that? OK, OK, I’m leaving. Believe it or not, I’m sitting at the computer eating my dinner. But not spitting it out. Much. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/10 "2002-12-14T02:15:29Z")
He should have flicked it at a unsuspecting customer. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/11 "2002-12-14T02:35:44Z")
question, is he an asian immigrant? I notice my parent’s generation all seem to do that. So much so that It seems normal to me. But I use a napkin nonetheless. ---
**Author:** ![booka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@booka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booka)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/12 "2002-12-14T02:56:45Z")
Let’s say his name is Tom. You coulda offered somthing like this: “Jesus FUCKIN’ christ, Tom, you slob-assed fuck bastard! Do you GOTTA do that gross shit RIGHT THE FUCK IN FRONT OF ME WHILE I’M EATING, YOU DUMB FUCKING FUCK OF A FUCK?! I’m tryin’ to eat my GODDAMN LUNCH over here, and you’re diggin’ around in your fucking mouthful of fuckin’ half-chewed, spit-soaked, nearly digested Chinese food to fish out a GODDAMN piece of fuckin GRISTLE, with your FUCKIN FINGERS no less, you goddamn shit-fer-brains nutsack? Then you TOSS the fuckin gristle trophy RIGHT THE FUCK DOWN ON YOUR PLATE SO I GOTTA LOOK AT THE GODDAMN THING! WHAT NEXT, turd chomper? Are you gonna THROW THE FUCK UP on MY PLATE with your whole FUCKIN hand down your throat lookin’ for something else to pull out the depths of your stinkin’, bile-crusted gaping maw? WHY NOT JUST TAKE A FUCKIN’ SHIT RIGHT HERE ON THE GODDAMN TABLE! You gotta be the DUMBEST mutherfucker on the GODDAMN PLANET. CLEAN YOUR SHIT UP!” It might do the trick. ---
**Author:** ![Faustina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e19adc/32.png) [@Faustina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Faustina)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/13 "2002-12-14T15:21:17Z")
You got to wonder whether people get any home training these days. My hubby and I were having dinner with another couple at a decent restaurant when the female half of the other couple said “Eew, I’ve got something stuck in my teeth!” , whipped out some dental floss out of her purse and FLOSSED HER TEETH AT THE TABLE. Aghast doesn’t even come close to how I felt. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/14 "2002-12-14T17:49:59Z")
Did she chew up the little bits and swallow them? ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/15 "2002-12-14T18:19:44Z")
I fail to see the issue here, other than accepting the OP’s word that such behavior is disgusting to the OP. I use a napkin to wipe my mouth, not store unedibles. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/16 "2002-12-15T00:11:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by erislover \* > \*\*I fail to see the issue here, other than accepting the OP’s word that such behavior is disgusting to the OP. > > I use a napkin to wipe my mouth, not store unedibles. \*\* You’re going to love this, **erl**. [Miss Manners agrees.](http://www.s-t.com/daily/06-01/06-26-01/zzzadman.htm) 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/17 "2002-12-15T00:20:40Z")
**Podkayne** , the irony is almost overwhelming. 😃 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tmwster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/57b2e6/32.png) [@tmwster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tmwster)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/18 "2002-12-15T04:43:33Z")
Sorry, Miss Manners, if someone serves me gristly meat, they will just have to deal with disposing of it when they find it in my napkin. I refuse to fish a peice of chewed up food out of my mouth and lay it on the plate for everyone to look at. I suppose if I need to sneeze I should just sneeze on the plate instead of sneezing into my napkin? Actually, I would shake the gristle out of the napkin into the trash when putting my dishes into the sink. Leaving for your host would be pretty nasty, too. ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/19 "2002-12-15T05:45:42Z")
> [@](#): > > I suppose if I need to sneeze I should just sneeze on the plate instead of sneezing into my napkin? Sorry, don’t see the correlation. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589/20 "2002-12-15T11:36:27Z")
Have to agree with the OP - this is just _nasty_! Whether to dispose of inedibles, sneeze or just wipe my mouth, the napkin is a valuable manners tool not to be forgotten. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-please-use-a-napkin/142589.md?page=2)