English Teacher On First Date In Ages Lets Dangling Modifier Slide

FALLS CHURCH, VA—Recalling that it was her first date since September 2005, high-school English teacher Melanie Fitzgerald thought it prudent to overlook the grammatical errors of dinner date Aaron McPherson on Monday. “I really had to bite my tongue when he said, ’After getting stuck in traffic this evening, canceling dinner plans would have been completely understandable,’” said Fitzgerald, recounting her date’s response to her five-minutes-late arrival. “I kept telling myself to give him the benefit of the doubt, even after he said, ’Being nervous sometimes, I can come off a bit awkward.’ ” Friends of Fitzgerald have advised her to continue disregarding McPherson’s poor grammar and instead focus on his character, which sounds like that of a complete asshole.