DEAR MISS MANNERS: I invite my mother to join my family for lunch every Saturday. Occasionally, I will invite other guests as well. One weekend, I had invited another family: four people whom my mother had met a few times before.
When my mother arrived, I said to the family, “Emily and George, Jane and David, you remember my mom. Mom, you remember Emily and George, Jane and David.”
To this, my mother said she remembered, and wasn’t “losing it” yet.
Is there a better way to remind people of names, in case they’ve forgotten? Or is it my mistake in thinking one may have forgotten? Should I assume guests recall each others’ names and leave it up to them?
GENTLE READER: What would be a better way of reminding people of names? Substituting the wrong ones to see if anyone notices?
Miss Manners suggests you tell your mother you were not implying that she was becoming forgetful -- privately in the kitchen, the first time she suggests you were, but in front of the guests if she does it again.
(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)
