Ask Ant - A Brush Is a Brush

DISCLAIMER: Antoinette Datoc is NEITHER a licensed therapist NOR a medical professional. She is a natural-born advice giver and adheres strictly to the tenet that humor is the best medicine for what ails you. If you think her advice is lousy, you can bet it'll make you laugh out loud...if you’re laughing at least you’re not crying.

DEAR ANT:  I was invited to a dinner party and I don’t want to go because the hostess uses a toilet brush to wash her dishes. I find this disgusting. Is there a way to decline the invitation without causing hurt feelings? I don’t want to lie. --GERMOPHOBE

DEAR GERMOPHOBE:  “No, thank you,” is a complete sentence and is the only thing you are required to say when declining an invitation. You are obliged to be gracious and polite, but you are under no obligation to give a reason. Therefore you needn't concern yourself with fabricating excuses or telling lies.  

However, if the only thing keeping you from attending the dinner party is the idea that a toilet brush may have touched your plate, my advice is to accept the invitation and enjoy yourself.

A brush is a brush, right? Toilet brushes make good, efficient scrubbers, right? As far as I’m concerned, as long as your hostess keeps the toilet brush she uses to scrub her dishes out of the toilet, you are at no greater risk of contracting E. coli than you would be if her preference was to use a traditional kitchen sponge.  

Of course, somebody who uses a toilet brush to wash dishes might be inclined to use a kitchen sponge to clean the toilet, so perhaps you should stay home and make yourself a frozen pizza…just in case.  --ANT 

Need advice? Ask Ant! Email your questions confidentially to Ant ataskantadvice@gmail.com

Antoinette Datoc is a freelance writer. Visit her blogs, Ask Ant Advice and Just Another Ordinary Day and be sure to leave a comment.