"I refer to them as the SNOW people:Those you see regularly at work, school, the gym, church or around the neighborhood, with whom you always exchange a friendly Smile, Nod Or Wave. Then one day, you see them at the supermarket. Your initial reaction is surprise (as if they don't exist outside the sphere you know them from), followed by joy and a desire to embrace them like a long-lost friend."
"GENTLE READER: Another friendly SNOW. This necessitates, however, a third reaction in your repertoire, which is a somewhat deflated, but still polite, realization that you are only acquaintances. The person will likely mirror your reaction and be similarly content to move along. But if you are ready to transition to a full-on greeting and name exchange, Miss Manners assures you that that is an option provided you are able to muster mutual consent from the other party."
"I frequently attend luncheons at which the entree consists of bagels, lox (smoked salmon) and cream cheese. Bagels have grown in size substantially since my childhood. Nowadays, a whole bagel is too much for me, so I carefully take one half with the tongs provided. I spread it with cream cheese, then lay a slice or two of lox on top."
Use a SNOW greeting — Smile, Nod Or Wave — when encountering people who are familiar acquaintances from one sphere in a different setting. Such a brief acknowledgment signals polite recognition without presuming intimacy. If both parties appear willing, a transition to a fuller greeting and exchanging names is permissible but requires mutual consent. Bagel luncheons often serve oversized rolls; taking half a bagel, spreading cream cheese and adding lox is a common approach. Despite careful assembly and slow bites, slices of lox tend to slide off the open-faced bagel, creating an awkward, dangling piece.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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