The Help Desk: No Rush!

Every Friday, Cienna Madrid offers solutions to life’s most vexing literary problems. Do you need a book recommendation to send your worst cousin on her birthday? Is it okay to read erotica on public transit? Cienna can help. Send your questions to: advice@seattlereviewofbooks.com.

Dear Cienna,

Do you sing karaoke? I do, and I just lost a friend because I wanted to sing “Tom Sawyer,” and she hates Rush that much. But I had to listen to her sing fucking “Old Town Road” FIVE times in one evening and I didn't pitch a fit. Is it too much to ask someone to sit through 3.5 minutes of prog rock they don't like just to let a friend have a turn?

Geddy Lee, Rock Box

Dear Geddy,

I have a friend whose go-to karaoke song is Pat Benatar's "Hell is for Children." It is a five-minute song about child abuse. If I can tolerate 19 years of listening to that, your friend can tolerate four minutes of Rush without being a crybaby whiner. There are few rules to karaoke, but one is that you do not get to nix another person's song choice. Repeating the same song – let alone five times! – during one night of karaoke is what's truly offensive.

Tell your friend she is a mannerless pig and stop inviting her to your karaoke nights out, for the sake of whatever is left of your friendship.

Kisses,

Cienna