Is His Heart in the Right Place?

Craig Feeney in Pasco, Washington, writes:

I have dextrocardia situs inversus. This means that my heart is on the right side of my body instead of the left. l am a bit of a sports fanatic, and I attend a lot of sporting events, such as basketball, baseball, and football games, not to mention most of the local hockey games. Prior to these events, the national anthem is always played. One is supposed to place his hand over his heart as a sign of patriotism. Given my anatomy, l feel l should place my left hand over my right chest. When I do this, however, l invariably get funny looks, and occasionally someone will call me a wise guy. Should I simply conform to convention and place my right hand over my left chest? Or should I to do as l wish?

Marilyn responds:

You’re already conforming to convention (and so is nearly everyone else) by placing your hand on your chest at all, so I’d complete the gesture by placing my right hand over my left chest, regardless. (Or just place it in the middle, where most of the heart resides, anyway.) When you do otherwise, you don’t risk being thought a wise guy (by people who ask you about it) as much as you risk being thought…ah…not very bright, if you know what I mean, by the people who observe what you’re doing and say nothing!