Miss Manners addresses dealing with F-bombs in public spaces like a hockey game.Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was seated in front of two men at a hockey game, and every other word they said was the F-word. I wanted to say something, but wondered what would be the best way to address them.
I thought about saying something like, “Hey, you look like smart guys, but your vocabulary makes you sound less than intelligent.”
Do you have a suggestion, or was ignoring them the route to take? That is what I did.
GENTLE READER: Thereby avoiding the likely response, which would be to F-off.
As offensive as that would be, Miss Manners cannot help seeing that it would come from a legitimate objection. First, that they were having a private conversation, even if you couldn’t help overhearing it. And second, that it is rude, not to mention ineffective, to go around correcting strangers.
(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.)
COPYRIGHT 2025 JUDITH MARTIN DISTRIBUTED BY ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106; 816-581-7500
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