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