Dear Queenie,
I belong to a church social group of about a dozen women. One of the women talks all the time and never lets anyone else get in a word. If you try to interrupt her she just goes right on talking.
Last week my husband and I went to a church concert and she came and sat with us and talked the whole time, even during the performances.
It’s so bad I’m thinking of just dropping out of the group.
Queenie, what do you suggest?—Fed up
Dear Fed up,
At the concert you would not have been rude to tell her to hush up, because you were trying to listen to the performance.
As for the social group, someone – perhaps the minister, if you think she will heed what he says (does she talk during his sermons?) – should take this woman aside and explain to her that she must give everyone else a chance to talk.
If that does not do the trick, feel free to just walk away when you have had enough of her chatter – all of you in a group, if the others feel the same way you do. And if she follows you, you have my permission to tell her, “Shut up, Motormouth, I/we want to hear what these other ladies have to say.”
