Dear Abby
Son’s cross-dressing startles mom
When I saw him the same day, I made sure to hug him and tell him I love him. Please tell me what to do or say. – What to…
Dear Abby
Dear Abby
Couple splits after acting class
Every now and then she raises the topic again, saying she feels “betrayed, offended, abandoned” and suggests we stop seeing each other for two to three days “so she can…
Dear Abby
Girl debates college location
His parents have offered to pay all expenses if the two of them live in an apartment and go to school at a college nearby. Financially, this would be very…
Dear Abby
Teacher dreads taking road trip
My second-oldest sister wants to plan an elaborate road trip this summer that involves renting an RV and driving cross-country with our nieces to visit Disneyland. She feels that since…
Dear Abby
Virgin fears she waited too long
At this point, I’m worried that if I tell a guy I’m a virgin, I’ll be rejected. Throughout my teens and 20s, I believed that waiting for Mr. Right was…
Dear Abby
Father rejects kitchen’s food too often
Dad has done this my whole life and he’s in his 60s. It’s embarrassing for me and Mom, and it frustrates the cooks and waiting staff. Is there a polite…
Dear Abby
Man keeps cancer diagnosis secret
My mother was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer that had spread to her brain. Her dizziness is how we found out. She didn’t want to tell anyone for a while…
Dear Abby
Wife caught talking to ex
She admits to the phone calls and messages and nothing more. I believe her. They haven’t met – just these covert exchanges, which are frequent and sometimes lengthy, over the…
Dear Abby
Chronic conditions cause rift
DEAR BAD DEAL: What a sad letter. You are both young, with many years ahead of you. You have a difficult decision to make. Because you feel you are not…
Dear Abby
Father’s marriage mystery to son
Well, she and her now-ex have “suddenly started getting along just great,” so she decided to continue to live with her ex after her marriage to Dad. Despite agreeing to…
Dear Abby
Woman asks about social niceties
On a similar note, how can I politely tell my doctor or dentist that I prefer not to be treated by anyone with cold symptoms? A few days ago, I…
Dear Abby
Past abuse hinders new marriage
Things will get good in our relationship, and then I will lose perspective again, which causes conflict. How do I fix that? How do I find it again, and the…
Dear Abby
Man tired of hoping for romance
We communicate rarely by text but never through phone calls, for obvious reasons. Her man works for the same company we do but in a different building. It’s clear to…
Dear Abby
Wife labeled lazy by husband
I work part-time so I can have a flexible schedule and be home with our kids after school. Ron earns considerably more than I do, although I inherited money from…
Dear Abby
Family secret surprises new wife
A few weeks ago, we told my mother-in-law we were expecting our first child. After a joyous moment and some conversation later about children, she brought up my husband’s half-brother,…
Dear Abby
Woman hesitates to leave mother
I think I should move out, but she will take it badly. Also, I’m concerned about her health. She’s 71, diabetic and has a heart condition. Is this a lost…
Dear Abby
Ex-wife treats man like friend
If she has car, money or any other type of problems, she thinks I should help her. In the divorce, I kept the home, the furnishings, etc. She left with…
Dear Abby
Woman surprised by DNA test
Recently, Mom did a DNA test and discovered that we are not, in fact, of Native American descent. We feel devastated and betrayed by our parents and grandparents for lying…
Dear Abby
Teen caretaker gets no adult respect
I know it shouldn’t bother me, yet it does. After raising my younger siblings by myself and taking care of the house, is it wrong for me to consider myself…
Dear Abby
Miscarriage leaves woman speechless
I have never been able to easily express my emotions. In emotional situations I just go blank and my mind shuts down. I am always at a loss for words,…
Dear Abby
Wife longs for life away from house
From the outside, it would seem like we have a perfect life. In reality, Tom does his own thing. He attends parties, goes to exciting social events and hobnobs with…
Dear Abby
Unfaithful man struggles to tell wife
Last month, I was invited to go on a trip overseas and was hesitant about asking my wife. Once I did, she immediately said yes and told me to have…
Dear Abby
Abuse increases in marriage
After our third year of marriage, my husband started to rape me. No one knows except an ex-sister-in-law. At first, I didn’t really understand what was happening. He used force…
Dear Abby
Woman hides past addiction
I was an addict. It was a long addiction that left me homeless and almost killed me many times. I have kept this part of my life a secret from…
Dear Abby
Disabled wife tired of messy man
I actually did it at one point. I moved into a cheap mobile home, but he sold the house and followed me. He’s a loving husband, but he is messy.…
Dear Abby
Man uses security cameras to spy
DEAR NO PRIVACY: What your husband is doing is controlling and, frankly, creepy. This is what insecure abusers do to their significant others. Tell him you do not have to…
Dear Abby
Man searches for past lover
In the years that followed, our paths crossed a few more times. Because I was recently married then, I told my old friend and lover I needed to close the…
Dear Abby
Son angry about wedding gift
I feel a gift is a gift, and they should be happy with whatever I can manage. After talking it over with several friends, they all agreed that he is…
Dear Abby
Poem reminds about guest towels
I remember a little poem in your column that addresses this. I’d like to clip it and put it in there next to the towels. Please print it again! –…
Dear Abby
Coworker mimics woman’s style
To me, this is a form of harassment, and I don’t understand where she’s coming from. It’s not my problem if she is unhappy with her self-image. I like myself;…