You can't chew gum here!

Just went through one of my most humiliating experiences a few days ago. Let me tell you about it.

The wife and I went to the community college arts theater on Friday night to catch a gratis performance of the college show band. We take in as many of those as we can. It is good music, and we get to see a lot of old friends. But last Friday was not so good.

We got there just before show time. Had to park a long way away. Walked into the entrance to the theater and this hostess stops the wife. "You can't chew gum in here. Take it to the trash can outside," she said.

Never had that happen. Both of us chew gum, discretely. I was chewing also, but the attention was directed at the wife.

So the wife takes her gum and puts it in a paper. We go on to find seats. I notice not a few chewing gum around us.

After the first music number, this host comes to our place of seating, and challenges the wife again. "You can't chew gum in here," he says. The wife had put another piece of gum in her mouth. I was still chewing. The "guard" sought her out.

I pointed out a number of people who were chewing, but he was not interested in them. He was interesting in ensuring my wife did not chew gum. Hummm.

After questioning him about where the rule was, he said, "It is a house rule."

Our time at the performance was short. I fumed! The wife knew I was fuming. We left, probably never to return again.

In all the years I have attended and supported such events, I have never had anybody tell me I could not chew gum. There is no sign to that effect. The only sign is "Food and Drink not permitted." Gum is not food, as I understand it.

The harder part for me was how many people were obviously chewing gum and received no reprimand for it.

"You can't chew gum here" has now made me an enemy of what otherwise is a very nice attraction in my town. How rude!