Dear Amy: My wife and I recently went to a casual dinner party. We barely knew the hosts and we didn’t know any of the other guests (around 10). We introduced ourselves to the other guests and after we all ate, we gathered in little groups and were chatting. It was nice!

That’s when the host suddenly pulled out a karaoke machine and fired it up. He and a couple of other people then started singing, very loudly, into an amplified mic that he was passing around. It was loud and very abrupt. No one could maintain any conversation.

After the first song, I turned to my wife and whispered: “We have early workdays tomorrow, so maybe we should go.”

She told me this was rude. We waited for two or three more songs and then said goodnight.

I’m wondering if you think I was being rude?

– Poorly Pitched

Dear Pitched: Enforced karaoke in this context is my idea of social torture, so I guess the question is how long you must tolerate something you loathe in order to exit politely on a school night.

I’d say that three choruses of “My Heart Will Go On” would do it.

You can email Amy Dickinson at [email protected] or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068.