I think it was Brigham Young who said, "He who takes offense when no offense was intended is a fool.  He who takes offense when offense is intended is also a fool."

I neither take offense nor give it, so I am completely baffled by last Saturday evening's encounter.  There are some people around whom you have to tiptoe and be very careful.  If I was to name those people, my niece, Jacque Cobb, would not be on the list.

Marjorie and I were in the checkout line at Safeway.  As I was making my payment I looked up as Jacque suddenly appeared in the line behind me.  The man who had previously been there had apparently given her is place.

 

"Hi, Uncle James.  You're out late tonight."

"Yeah, it's past my bedtime.  I understand you gave Tim a dementia test."

"Some people call it by other names.  It's a cognitive test."

I had completed my purchase and didn't want to hold up the line by visiting, so we gathered up our groceries and left.

"Bye," I said.

That was the sum total of our conversation.

Monday morning Ellen called and informed me that Jacque was highly offended by our encounter.  I think Ellen had heard the report through Jacque's father, Brent.  I couldn't believe it, so I brushed it off and asked Ellen to take care of it for me.

I was totally baffled, and mourned over the situation.  Jacque couldn't possibly have been offended.  I finally called Brent to get Jacque's phone number.  He said that she was at work, so he didn't give me the number, but said that he'd take care of things.

It gnawed at me.  In the evening I got the number from Ellen and called Jacque.  I said, "I understand you were offended by our encounter Saturday evening.  I'm calling to apologize and to find out what it was that I did."

We had a short, pleasant conversation.  She graciously accepted my apology, but I can still not imagine what I did wrong, nor understand how anyone could have possibly found something offensive in that exchange.

This is all very unfortunate and upsetting.  Whether justified or not, Jacque has now probably, inadvertently, been added to my list.