dot on the forehead

So there I was at my kids 5th birthday party. It was great, family, friends - even my sister was there. This was the "family" party. The "kid" party will be at our house tomorrow. The family party was part of our vacation to the North East.

Earlier in the day I had run into the little brother of an old friend of mine. This guy had really grown up; marines, IRAQ war vet, 2 kids, living in CA. I asked him about how he is doing and what he does for work now. Just kidding, but he is a sheriff's deputy. We had a nice chat - so I invited him, his family, and his parents to the party.

After the presents, the cake, and the kid fun, there was a group of us sitting around a fire in the backyard. I don't know how it came up - I think we were talking about how far we'd come to be there - the guy's wife starts loudly complaining about taking her kids shoes off at the airport. I take off my slip off shoes and recommend she gets some - easy on, easy off.

Nope, those are no good. She explains the floor of the airplane is full of germs she wants to protect her kids from - cause they'd take them right off. Huh? My kids eat off the floor just before napping under the seat in front of them...

Next she drops a bomb - something like: and what's with all the security crap? Do I look like I have an f'n dot on my forehead? At this point several things pop into my head:

• did she just really say that?
• aren't those dots a Hindu thing? aren't (Bush's) terrorists Islamic?
• would it be OK to correct her in front of everyone on the Hindu thing?

I said nothing. But my wife and I did both stand up and make our goodbyes. I guess we chose to speak with our feet.

I kinda regret it. She needed an education. But I just couldn't bring myself to make a scene at my mom's house, my kid's 5th birthday, in front of my seldom seen sister. Sigh.

What would you have done?