Limo greeter’s clients a little too friendly

Dear Miss Manners: I greet people at the airport for an elite limousine company that drives very rich people and celebrities. I am expected to be cooperative and gracious. The first situation I have trouble with is huggers. The second is unwanted or inappropriate touching. (Sexual touching has never happened, and that’s easier to reject. You’re allowed to be rude in that case.) Here’s an example. I’m female, and a man once complimented my curly hair. I responded with a thank you, but throughout the 15 minutes we were together, he touched my hair repeatedly.

I moved to put the luggage between us, but he moved around it so he could comment on and touch my hair again. I’m still kicking myself for not being more assertive, but I can’t think what else to do.

Gentle reader: Actually, rummaging in your hair is sexual, and while Miss Manners condones neither rudeness nor violence, she would look the other way if you’d whopped him with his own luggage.

Try fending off hugs by holding the client’s name placard in front of you and reaching out for a pleasant handshake. Anything more intrusive should be met with the firm request that the client not try to distract you while you are doing your job.

Dear Miss Manners: I love going to the movies. I also find myself getting annoyed with other patrons in the movie theater who feel compelled to be loud or rowdy during the show.

Is there a polite way to ask someone to keep it down? My mom tells me that I’m being sensitive and that I should just ignore the people around me, but I have a hard time doing that.

Gentle Reader: Miss Manners recommends a discussion with your mother, in which you both defend your sensitivity to public rudeness and, if you share her residence, request a movie-streaming account that will enable you to enjoy films with like-minded people.

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, missmanners.com or email her at dearmissmanners@ gmail.com.