DEAR MISS MANNERS: I work in retail and have dealt with all types of people. Three years ago, I had cancer in my eye and had surgery to treat it. When I am tired -- which happens when working retail hours in a dry, old building -- the rim of my eye will turn red.
I am frustrated with the “no boundaries” type of customers, who often say to me, “Oh, your eye is so red!” or “What’s wrong with your eye?” My eye is as good as it will be. Is it appropriate for me to say to these customers, “It is none of your concern and it is not contagious”? Or do you have other suggestions?
GENTLE READER: Suggestion No. 1 is that telling customers to mind their own business will not be good for your business. Miss Manners would consider “It is not contagious” to be quite enough.