Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site brl-tgr.ARPA Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!brl-tgr!wmartin From: wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) Newsgroups: net.singles Subject: Re: catching up (being attached) Message-ID: <2923@brl-tgr.ARPA> Date: Wed, 6-Nov-85 15:14:59 EST Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.2923 Posted: Wed Nov 6 15:14:59 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 8-Nov-85 08:26:39 EST References: <677@ihlts.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: USAMC ALMSA, St. Louis, MO Lines: 33 In article <677@ihlts.UUCP> rainbow@ihlts.UUCP (Robert) writes: >Talking about my present status as being attached is awfully presumptious >and I would find it somewhat rude. Only someone with an oversized ego >would be so insulting. Nice way to lose a friend or potential friend. >How would you feel if you start a conversation with a "hello" and back >comes a "sorry, I'm attached"? Confused, actually, but the example is totally unrealistic. The information is easily conveyed with no insult or hostility, if you want the other person to know it. No "presumption" or rudeness is necessary. People either simply use "we" instead of "I" in a discussion, to indicate they are involved with someone else, or they use a phrase like "My wife and I" or "my old man and me" [sic] or work in a reference to spouse or the like. Examples: Stranger to you in supermarket produce section: "These Jerusalem Artichokes sure look odd. I wonder if they taste good." You: "Well, my husband made a really good stir-fry with some a few weeks ago." ^^^^^^^^^^ or, at a bar: "You come here often?" "We usually drop in once a month or so." ^^ In both cases, there is no hostility or termination of the conversation, but the information is conveyed that the respondee is not [immediately] available for a relationship/casual sex/a wild weekend in Peoria. Of course, if you don't want to talk to the person delivering the opening line, a response of "Crawl off, scumbag!" usually implies an attitude of discouragement... :-) Will