Dear Mary… | 17 February 2007

Q. Last week I had dinner with some old friends in London. My husband was unable to join us since he was working late but came to pick me up at the end of the evening. When he arrived everyone had finished eating but we were all still sitting at the table. When a man walks into a room with ten people sitting at a table, one of whom is his wife and the other nine of whom he knows well, to whom should he correctly ‘go’ first? Opinion seems to be divided as to whether he should go first to his wife (who is quite cross with him for working late), or to one of his hosts.
A.E., Wilts
 
A. He correctly goes first to his hostess then takes in his wife en route to his host. From the host he can then make a step-wise progression around the women at the table, alternating cheek-bashing for women with back-slapping for men.