Ask Eric: Infidelity leads to awkwardness

Dear Eric: It has recently come to light that the father of my goddaughter has been cheating on his wife for almost the entirety of their 30-year marriage. My goddaughter’s destination wedding is coming up soon. I don’t want to be in a room with this man, let alone hug or converse with him. Any tips on how to remain civil over the course of the weekend?

Eric says: In a private moment before the wedding, tell him the truth. “Your marriage is your business, but I can’t have a relationship with you. For the sake of your daughter, I’m bringing this up now so that we can be civil while still giving each other space.” You might not be able to avoid taking photos with him, but by being clear upfront, you can avoid small talk made with gritted teeth.

Dear Eric: My favorite local pub has wonderful food except for the fries. They take up half the plate and are inedible. My last chicken sandwich was flanked with a huge serving of flaccid cardboard-tasting fries served cold. How should I let the owner know his soggy fries are running me off? Reliable, delicious fries are one of the pillars of a trusted bar.

Eric says: I’m glad you added the last sentence, because I was going to suggest that you replace the fries with chips, soup or a salad. A simple path: Just tell the owner what your experience has been. They’d surely appreciate a direct conversation with a customer willing to give them another chance more than a stranger leaving a scathing online review.

A good way into this conversation is to ask, “Are you open to some feedback?” Granted, sometimes the answer is “No, thank you.” But the restaurant industry lives on word-of-mouth. If you don’t like the fries, you’re not likely to recommend the pub. If you do, you’ll bring friends to it.

Dear Eric: This is in response to the reader who has an aversion to dogs in public spaces. I am disabled and require the assistance of my service dog to function. I’m also a lawyer, so I know the laws.

A service dog should not be approaching strangers unless their handler is in need of urgent assistance. If a dog is being disruptive, such as barking (with the exception of barking to alert to something like a medical condition), wandering or displaying aggression, the management of a business can legally ask that the dog be removed from the premises.

The staff is permitted to ask two questions: “Is that a service dog?” And: “What task is the dog trained to perform?” If the answer to the second question is, “Emotional support,” that person can be asked to remove the animal.

Eric says: This is a helpful distinction.