Letter: Cold comfort

Monday 03 February 1997 00:02 GMT

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Cold comfort

Sir: I sympathise with Colin Dunn and his request for advice on how to react without giving offence when a young woman, full of cold, sniffling and sneezing, takes the adjacent seat on a long train journey (letter, 31 January).

It would be terribly rude to cause her any embarrassment, so when this happens to me I always endeavour to outsneeze the lady.

This puts her at ease. I act out symptoms of such severity that she will understand that it does not matter if I catch her cold.

Usually the young ladies are so overwhelmed by my thoughtfulness that they choose to sit elsewhere, so I can enjoy my demise in peace.

JOE BOSWELL

London N4

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