My Pet Peeves

It really irks me when I go to a buffet and see people dip the serving spoons into the dishes, spoon food onto their plates, return the spoon,then lick their fingers, then pick up the next serving spoon and do it all over again. AND IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME!! Honest, these are normal-looking, clean-cut, well-dressed adults. Why they lick their fingers as they go, like a cat, is beyond my understanding. I want to run up to them and say, "WHY DON'T YOU JUST LICK ALL THE HANDLES??? IT'S THE SAME THING!!!" They must think they get a little bit of food from the handle on their hands, so they think they will be clean and lick it off. Yuck! What a disgusting and unhealthy habit. Just watch. You will see this - it happens all over this civilized country in buffets. Bottom line- after you've filled your plate, think of everyone's saliva on your hands: Go to the restroom and wash your hands before you pick up that dinner roll or chicken wing or slice of pizza or taco shell.
My second pet peeve doesn't upset me as much, but it shows a sloppy attitude and poor use of the language. When someone offers a person a drink or something, and that person doesn't want it, they often say: I'm okay. NOT THE CORRECT ANSWER. No one asked how he or she was feeling. The correct answer is either "Yes, please." or "No, thank you." When I ask my grandchildren if they'd like an ice cream cone or a root beer float, sometimes they say, "Sure." Again, wrong answer. That sounds like they're doing me a favor and letting me make them a treat. To break that habit (undoubtedly learned at school) I now say, "Would you like an ice cream cone-Yes, please or No, thank you?" I think they're getting it.

Marlis Day is the author of middle-grade mystery/fantasy, The Secret of Bailey's Chase. Buy it at Quake or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Marlis at www.marlisday.com or check out her blog at http://wwwmarlisday.blogspot.com