Awkward Moments Continued

__Whatever deceives seems to produce a magical enchantment. Plato

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Indianan Greg Dillon takes serious exception to our recommendation in the final Awkard Moments in the June issue, in which we advise, upon seeing a prominent club member in a compromising position with a woman who is not his wife, to "Do absolutely nothing about what you just saw. It never happened."

__I enjoyed the article in the June issue about awkward moments on the golf course. I enjoyed it, that is, until I read your response to the final awkward moment. I was pleased that you'd taken such a strong

moral stance on both the racist joke and on the person who cheated on the golf course...

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But our advice on the marital cheater, Greg says,

suggests that morals and principles are useful only when the response is clear-cut or easy. The fact is that it did happen and someone did witness it. A better response would be to suggest the witness talk with his wife about an appropriate way to address the situation. My experience has lead me to believe that you're correct that this can ruin friendships, reputations, and marriages. The damage has been done, however, by the man who chose to betray his wife, not by the man who acts on the stance that cheating is wrong whether it's on the golf course or in a marriage.

Hmmm. Greg, while I agree with your stance on cheating, I'm not sure I want to breathe a word of this to another human being, especially to one who might repeat it. I tend to believe, as did the authors of this piece, that marital relationships are so complicated that one can be responsible for the morality of only one's one. A cop-out, I know, but a cop-out with a certain amount of wisdom attached, I believe.

What do the rest of you think?

—Bob Carney