I was among a dozen or so guests at a cookout yesterday afternoon. Just as it happened I ended up at a four-top. Just through the randomness of the seating, I happened to be seated with an elderly couple (probably mid-to-late 70s), and a lovely young 23-year old lady.
Numerous times during the meal, the elder chap *pulls out his snot rag, and blows away. I’m pretty immune to stuff, but I didn’t know how the young lady was taking it, having heard her mother already say that “she hadn’t been feeling good.” One time, I noticed that she had her head bent forward, and eyes closed–not, so it appeared as a prayer, but more like “Oh, I reeeeally don’t feel good.” (And maybe it was because I was sitting at the same table.)
Anyway, the point is “Is it common practice to blow at the table?” I’ve never, ever done it, but I could be the odd person.
*Not really accurate. He pulled it out only one time. The rest of the time, it sat on his knee. Also, during the whole afternoon, he never blew–other than when he was at the table eating.
I can’t address how “common practice” it may be, but I do know there are times when I’ve had particularly spicy-hot food, that there’s no way to hold back the drainage and the only polite thing I know to do is either get up and make a dash for the head, or avail myself of a kleenex from my wife, or just honk away into whatever available catcher there may be. I can attest to at least one instance within the past year where I was in a decent restaurant and had to make that “out in public” display. It was quite embarrassing, I can assure you, but some things just can’t be helped. (I did notice some dirty looks from nearby tables, so I can imagine how it must have looked/sounded.)
But what else is a person to do when it starts interfering with one’s ability to breathe? Or when it’s going to fall into one’s plate or onto one’s shirt? I think the choices of embarrassing oneself one way are offest by the options for the other way. It’s basically a lose-lose situation, I guess.
I have allergies at this time of year, and I have certainly had to blow my nose at the table before. I’ll be blowing my nose non-stop for the next month and a half…
I gotta say, after reading this I’m a little paranoid. I wouldn’t think people would get so annoyed at a little nose-blowing.
It’s not like the person doing it WANTS to be doing it.
Not to be gross, but when you gotta blow, you gotta blow.
I’m with Breezy. If I had to excuse myself from polite company every time I needed to blow my nose, then polite company would see neither hide nor hair of me from March to November, nor in the presence of cats, dust, mold, etc.
I’m not willing to live like that. As long as no one’s getting anything on you, what’s the problem?
I’ll use a kleenex to keep my nose from actually dripping if I have a cold or something, but I NEVER blow in front of people…dining or not. It’s just gross. And that goes double for farting. Just get up and excuse yourself.
Honestly, the alternatives for some of us are making that godawful snorking-it-back-in noise, letting it flow onto the plates, or not being at the table at all. I take all kinds of allergy meds and I get allergy shots, and there’s still no stopping it sometimes. If I lean forward enough to pat the dog or pick up the saltshaker, snot WILL flow. (“Who moved the Kleenex box?!”, unlike “Who moved my cheese?”, is a purely practical question.)
When stepping away for a good cleansing honk is practical, I try to do that, but seating arrangements opften make that a hassle for everyone.
My eighth grade homeroom teacher used to make me step out into the hall to blow my nose. I was up and down constantly.
But I do try to keep used Kleenex out of sight, preferably in the pocket of my purse dedicated to snotrags.
There’s a big difference between dabbing some drippage and imitating a wounded moose. My dad used to blow loundly at the dinner table, and it was disgusting. I know it’s a perfectly natural occurrance, and I’ve been known to do so myself, but never at the table or where others might be eating. UGH.
I dunno, I get grossed out watching people eat chicken off of bones, but I don’t complain - I leave the table, if it’s that upsetting to me.
I think I can speak for all the allergy sufferers here when I say: It’s not like we’re blowing our noses in order to gross you out. Your aesthetic preferences as re: our nasal passages are not at the top of our priorities, especially when we’re battling sinusitis. Really, do you want us to eat at a separate table out of your earshot?
I’m pretty bashful about the nose blowing thing. Maybe if it’s just allergies and pretty light and tame I’ll let one fly but if I’ve got a cold and there’s going to be some real texture and resistance then hell yeah, I’m going to excuse myself to do that business.
Think again. I have wicked allergies myself, and consideration for my dining company is always a top priority. A discreet wipe with a handkerchief is one thing, but I would never blow my nose at the table. (Until such time as advanced age makes getting up from the table a physically challenging act, as I said before.)
Just be glad he didn’t use a cloth serviette as the snot rag, and then put it down on the table in front of him. A colleague does this, so we don’t go to lunch with that colleague much anymore.
I don’t mean to get touchy, or anything, but your allergies must not be that bad if you excuse yourself every time you blow.
I also don’t mean to sound nasty, but if I know it’s going to be one of the gross-sounding blows, I’ll get up and excuse myself, but NO WAY could I possibly do that every time. I mean absolutely no way.
I have a 3 hour class to attend tonight. If I get up and excuse myself to the hall every time, I won’t even be in there for 30 minutes!!!
Oy!
Again, not trying to insult anyone else, I just wonder if we are talking about different types of allergies or something. I usually have to call in sick a couple times during my season (from now until the first frost) because I can’t open my eyes in the morning, and they only slowly get better through the day…
Now this, I totally agree with. My dad always carries around a handkerchief, and I think that is a little nasty. He says he keeps it folded so that he can use it several times with out having to change kerchiefs, but I’d rather him carry around a box of kleenex like I do. haha
I wouldnt even blow my nose in the kitchen if therye preparing food never mind actally at the table. Likewise if its outside, it takes two seconds to get up and excuse yourself.
And yea, the Idea of a handkerchief is disgusting, especially now that its so easy to carry around a pack of pocket tissues.
