Once unsolicited outside food is brought into someone’s home ... it is the property of the homeowner. Solicited goods (as in potluck items) have murkier rules ...
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I went over to a friend’s house for drinks. There were only three of us there. The host had laid out some nibbles, and I brought some homemade crackers as a contribution.
The host did not eat any of my crackers until I was about to leave. She tasted one, declared it delicious, then dumped the entire bowl on her platter. The gathering was over and we were all leaving at the same time. I was so astonished, I said nothing. Had they all been eaten during the course of the party, I would have been delighted. But since there were quite a few left over, I had planned to take them home. I guess I should have said, “So glad you enjoyed them.”GENTLE READER: Once unsolicited outside food is brought into someone else’s home, it acquires squatter’s rights and may reasonably be expected to be the property of the homeowner.
So while your friend’s timing was unfortunate, it was reasonable, in Miss Manners’ estimation, for her to have expected that the crackers were a present and now belonged to her. And apparently only to her.Miss Manners: To the person texting from the car ... ‘please proceed to the front door’Miss Manners: How do I get a friend to stop sending text messages that include photos of my ex?If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.
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