A far-future approach to the topic, from an unpublished SF
story. (context: Chris is trying to distract his mother's
guest's attention away from a topic that is embarrassing to
discuss with a woman from another planet.)
Cris rubbed his cheek thoughtfully, and said "Ivan isn't
allowed to associate with us children much, either. What
does "mister" mean?"
Madam Sorbonne said, "That's the way we address men on
Zenobia." She was watching Ivan chat with another guest.
Ivan absently picked up a little roll of thin-sliced ham
impaled on a sharp pick, and fed it to himself.
"Then at home you would be Mister Sorbonne."
"Miss Sorbonne. Mister is for males."
"I suppose that if you never have a sixteen party, then
you never change from 'Miss' to 'Madam'."
"I never thought of it that way before. I guess you're
right. 'Madam' is a stuffy way of saying 'mam' on
Zenobia."
--
Joy Beeson
http://joybeeson.home.comcast.net/
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