Courteously Yours!

Breakfast at the dining table. Two ladies are talking in a rapt engagement. They've finished breakfast and the teas, but perhaps the interesting subject of their conversation keeps them engaged still. The younger lady belongs to the host family while the elder lady happens to be a surprise guest. At this moment the younger lady is describing something animatedly. The elder lady listens resting her hands on the table and bending forward to the other lady. Suddenly, a tiny droplet of the younger lady's saliva shoots out and unfortunately, lands directly on the listening lady's right forearm. She, still in the act of listening, looks mournfully at the droplet, but is too courteous lest it draws the other lady's attention and make the whole innocuous happening unnecessarily embarassing. It is not at all known though if the talking lady notices it or misses it, she as innocent as the other lady. 

There has to be a bit of squirming inside the affected lady's mind, obviously. As the the talk doesn't seem to be ending soon the listening lady moves her victimised hand, almost as courteously imperceptibly as is possible, slides it slowly down the side of the table and rubs it on the hanging edge of the tablecloth.

As the keen observer of the unfortunate proceedings I do struggle to keep my composure too, and for the sheer love of courtesy do I try very hard indeed to not let any of the ladies become aware or conscious of anything. Fortunately the COVID-19 was not lurking anywhere near us then.