YOUR PROBLEMS SOLVED
Dear Mary. .
Q. Can the 6' 8" television journalist who wrote to you be the giant who regularly interviews me in the West Country? Ever since seeing myself on the screen, gazing upwards as though to heaven for inspira- tion, I have refused to co-operate unless he kneels.
Jessica Mann, Cornwall A. I imagine B. T-D. is the same giant.
Q. Please explain, as a service to me and my fellow men, how we can avoid using that ugly abomination conceived by feminism, Ms'. It seems to place ladies among extra- terrestrial beings, depriving them of all femininity, and places us males in the posi- tion of having to guess which form of address will not cause offence. I could begin, for instance, 'Dear Petronella Wyatt' In writing to a journalist, and I am sure she would find that acceptable, but it would not work in replying to someone not previously known, signing herself 'Freda Bilsworthy'. Failing the `Mrs' or Miss', which would have been added in pre-Ms' days, there is always 'Madam', but possibly that is not quite comme it faut now. If you can provide a solution to the Ms'tery, you will earn the gratitude of most of my sex, as well as of those of the opposite sex who do not care for the term.
G.G., Dippenhag Farnham, Surrey A. While traditionalists are still circum- venting this problem by using Madam', others are indeed nervous of the term due to its associations with brothel-keeping. For the time being, therefore, I would suggest writing your salutations to such women in an illegible hand so that they simply cannot tell whether you have writ- ten 'Miss', 'Ms' or 'Mrs', and cannot therefore derive any righteous indignation from your gaffes.
Q. I read with interest your recent letter concerning the art dealer's wife and her clash of character with the Sloane Rangers. I for one have long been amazed that the type of lady described as a Sloane Ranger should have such a description. They have long been banished from SW3 and now normally reside in Fulham, Clapham, Bat- tersea and environs beyond. No doubt the art dealer's wife, if she wished to have a more sophisticated lifestyle, should move her abode into SW1 or even SW3, where she is more likely to meet kindred spirits.
A.B., Chesham Mews, London SWI A. Thank you for raising this point, but I think it is widely understood that 'Ranger- dom' is not a place but a state of mind.
Mary Killen
If you have a problem, write to Dear Mary, clo The Spectator, 56 Doughty Street, Lon- don WCIN 2LL.
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