The gross habit of spitting
The other day, I was working from a cafe close to my house. As I sat there for a few hours, I saw a number of men spitting on the sidewalk as they passed by. Men in dirty clothes, men in fancy suits, young men, old men — it seems to be a trait shared by all types of men. Fond as I am of finding and cultivating common connections between humans, I find this habit disgusting. Why is it that men choose to spit in public so often? Am I the only one who notices this? And what should I do if I see another drooling delinquent?
— Wondering Woman
You’re in good company in your disgust. After his first visit to America, Charles Dickens lamented the “offensive and sickening” sight of men who “(spat) incessantly.” In Dickens’ time, chewing tobacco was mostly to blame for the great expectorations. Nowadays, there’s no definitive explanation. Boise State sociology professor Robert McCarl says it most likely has to do with male posturing. It does seem that this issue is socio-cultural and not biological, as there’s no evidence that men produce more saliva than women.
I’m sure I’ll hear from a few people with their takes. In the meantime, if you see a “drooling delinquent,” you might offer him (or her!) a tissue.
I have never been more compelled to write than after reading your recent response to “P.U.,” the person concerned about a co-worker’s bad hygiene. In your response, you indicated that the coworker’s mental health is not “P.U.’s” business. Based on the co-worker’s reported outburst when confronted and information from his wife that he was “off his medication,” I strongly believe it is not only “P.U.’s” business but his obligation to report his observations to management. Too often, these early signs of potential violence are missed and, as recent events around the country show, workplace tragedy follows. I respectfully think you missed the mark on this one. — See Something, Say
Something
Though “P.U.” said he’d already approached management to no avail, I should not have left it at that. You’re right that the situation is potentially dangerous and should be addressed with urgency.
Approaching the topic of another person’s mental health requires a great deal of care, especially if that person is an employee or colleague. And you should be careful not to engage in workplace discrimination based on mental illness — not only because that would be unethical but also because it’s prohibited in the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you are worried about a co-worker’s mental health, you can and should intervene, for everyone’s safety. Implore human resources to enlist some outside help. The following letter writer sheds more light on options.
“P.U.’s” manager is ineffective. He should mandate an employee assistance program to provide counseling and clearance before the man is allowed back to work. Most states require employee assistance program agencies, but sadly they are underutilized. In this program, a mental health counselor would decide whether the man is a threat to himself or others.
Step two would be to notify the local authorities of concerns of violence so they could determine whether he’s a threat.
— Prevent Tragedy Thank you for the helpful information on employee assistance programs. I’d like to second your advice to contact the authorities if someone seems like a threat to his own or others’ safety.
Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.
ACROSS
1 __ Romeo: Italian
car 5 Machu Picchu
people 10 __ Plaines 13 Copier room
quantity 14 Spanish peak 15 With 27-Down,
Captain Picard 16 What constant stress does, healthwise 18 Disney woman loosely based on Andersen’s Snow Queen 19 Draw out 20 Flustered state 22 Bathroom fixture 24 Old West folklore
cowboy 26 FedEx alternative 28 Arsenal inventory 29 “What was __
was saying?” 30 Japanese rolls 33 Dip __ in: test 37 Things gathered by aficionados ... or what the ends of 16-, 24-, 49and 59-Across can be? 41 Patella’s place 42 Decorate 43 Video game
letters 44 N.Y. Cosmos org. 47 Wee bit 49 Very expensive 54 Indian __ 55 Enthusiastic reply to “Who knows the answer?” 56 More lax 58 Muscat money 59 Taunts on the
field 63 Barracks beds 64 Forest fixtures 65 Citrus hybrid 66 Brooklyn __, N.Y. 67 Medicinal plant 68 Techie, often
DOWN
1 Co-star of Jackie on “The Honeymooners” 2 __ & Perrins
steak sauce 3 Happy face that’s
put on 4 Bedelia of kiddie
lit 5 Apple choice 6 “Reward” for poor
service 7 20 fins 8 Braves, on sports
news crawls 9 Once in a long
while 10 Indian city on the
Yamuna River 11 Studio support 12 Doghouse “Don’t come any closer!” 15 Water-propelled
craft 17 “Truman” actor 21 Belief ending 22 General Motors
brand 23 __ Martin: British
car 25 Tahrir Square city 27 See 15-Across 31 Follow furtively 32 Mason’s tray 34 Youngster’s time
of life 35 Luxury timepiece 36 City on the Ruhr 38 Soup legumes 39 Most Soc. Sec.
recipients 40 Secret to the max 45 Give a leg up 46 Lawn care giant 48 Post-winter river
thaw 49 Canoe wood 50 Nincompoop 51 Kids on a farm? 52 First name in
daytime TV 53 Arcade coin 57 Mount of Greek
myth 60 “__ You Lonesome Tonight?” 61 Camera type, for
short 62 Put in a secret
place