Sir, – I loved Fionnuala Ward’s column about being subjected to the patronising “my dear” and “pet” by two men recently (“Now that I’m in my 60s, some people are only short of patting me on the head”, An Irish Diary, September 2nd).
In my experience, sometimes women in various helping capacities also display the same patronising attitude.
The other day a man addressed me as “sweetheart” and I had not practised the Robert De Niro response – as suggested by Ward – enough to use it. But I will be ready the next time. – Yours, etc,
CATHERINE SHEEHAN,
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Terenure,
Dublin 6w.
