Ask Maxy

Dear Maxy,
I need to vent . My daughter, my 8 year-old granddaughter and I recently went to a broadway show . After we were seated , a woman and her young daughtre sat next to us . The woman was rather large , but instead of taking the aisle seat , she gave that to her mother and sat next to me .
She was practically sitting on top ot the chair arms due to her size and was taking up part of my space . At the end of the show she told us we would need to climb over her because her knees hurt and she couldn't move yet . I'm sure her knee problem is due to her size .
This woman looked to be in her mi-30s . At this rate , she might not live long enough to see her daughter reach adulthood . Don't you think she should have taken the aisle seat ?
Loved the Show , Disliked the Seat
Dear Loved It ,
It seems logical that the person with the most difficutly moving would prefer the aisle seat , but perhaps the woman's mother insisted on taking it . When stuck in these situations, there isn't much you can do other than show tolerance for two hours .
Maxy

Dear Maxy,
Recently , my wife and I stayed for four days at the home of one of her school chums . The gals yakked until late at night, so I was the first one up every morning . I'm an early riser anyway .
I like reading the newspaper with my breakfast , so when I get up, I'd go outside and pick up the paper and bring it in . My wife said it was wrong to get the paper before my hostess . Anyway , after a couple of days, the school friend seemed in a snit about something, and my wife says that was the reason , even though she never said so when I asked whether something was bothering her .
Recently , we were invited to stay with different friends for a weekend, and I am getting no end of hassle from my wife to make sure I wait for our hosts to finish the paper . I figure I'll just go out for coffee somewhere and buy a paper . My wife says it would be rude to take off at breakfast . Is this idiotic or what ?
California
Dear California ,
It would be rude to read the paper in such a way that your hosts must wait for you to finish, or that you drag sections of it all over the house and fill in all the clues to the crossword puzzle . But there is nothing wrong with reading the paper early and putting it back together nicely and having it available to your hosts when they awaken .
you can resolve this simply enough. When you arrive, inform your hosts that you are an early riser and ask whether they would mind if you fetch their paper and read it with your coffee , promising to keep it in pristine condition for when they are ready to read it . You could also offer to go to the local coffee shop and bring back coffee and muffins (and a newspaper) for everyone else .
Maxy

Dear Maxy ,
My wife and I frequently visit her 80-something parents around .
Here is the problem ; From the time my father-in-law gets in the car until we reach our destination , he sings , whistles and hums . This grates on me like fingernails on a blackboard .
I have tried turning up the radio , but he just increases his volume . I attempt conversation , but he only stops singing long enough to answer my question and then immediately resumes his serenade .
I know if I was to ask him to stop , it would be the beginning of World War III . He has a bad temper and a short fuse .
I get along with him fine otherwise , but I find this incredibly rude and increasingly unbearable .
I try to avoid driving them , but our proximity and common gathering make it hard . My wife seems oblivious .
She has been subjected to it all her life . No one has ever had the gumption to poke this wasp nest with a stick . What can I do ?
Want Duct Tape
Dear Want Duct Tape ,
You could try singing along at the top of your lungs . But really , I don't think Dad does this deliberately to annoy you , it sounds like an ingrained habit .
Either tolerate it , drive separate cars or ask your wife to drive while you listen to something else through a set of headphones .
Maxy