Wrong name etiquette and cell phone etiquette

Dear Ms. McVeigh,I was introduced to a parent at my child’s school at the beginning of the school year, and the name that stuck in my mind after I met her is not really her name. It was several months of calling her this name when I would run into her, did I finally figure out that I was calling her the wrong name. I ended up acknowledging my error to her, and apologizing to her. I wondered why she never corrected me. I can only assume that she thought it would have been rude. My questions to you are first, what is the etiquette on correcting someone when they call you by the wrong name, and two, how would you have handled it if you were me?
Jennifer J.

Dear Jennifer,
The official rule of etiquette is to correct a person when he or she calls you by the wrong name. It makes a lot of people uncomfortable to do this, but in the long run it could save a lot of confusion and embarrassment on the other person’s part. The longer it goes the more uncomfortable it gets, so definitely correct the person as soon as possible.

If you are the one who called someone by the wrong name, and you are uncomfortable about confronting the person, I would just start calling him or her by the correct name the next time you see the person. You did a great thing by admitting your error to her and apologizing. I am sure this was not easy to do, so I admire you for handling it this way.

Dear Mrs. McVeigh,

When someone is talking on his phone, and is checking out at a store, do you think it matters or not? Is it rude or offensive to the employee checking you out? Are there different rules for the grocery store, opposed to a department store, such as Neiman Marcus?
Curious Cell Phone User

Dear Curious Cell Phone User,
If I was on my cell phone while I was interacting with an employee, I would feel very disrespectful to him or her. It does not matter if you are going through the drive through line at the dry cleaners, or checking out at the grocery store, or at a nice department store. I think the rule of etiquette is that you get off your phone once it is your turn to check out. If there is a reason that you can not get off the phone, ask the caller to hold for a moment when you first see the employee, tell him hello, and apologize that you are on the phone. I think checkers and sales people deserve our respect. Taking on the phone while they are taking care of you is rude and disrespectful.