Her attitude is sickening

Advice

Q. I have a temperamental bully colleague who started dating someone about 10 months ago.

She’s very narcissistic and tells me things that other people would keep quiet because she feels that I’m no threat to her plan.

She’s very candid about knowing “who he was” and his financial status when she met him, and she went after him because of it.

She considers him to be her future security so is doing what she can to lock him down.

She can’t stand his parents, considers them simple, was unbelievably critical of their house (not opulent enough for her), and hates his ex-wife and kids. She fakes it with all the family and most of their friends.

She says she keeps him drinking when they’re together. It’s so he doesn’t notice her faking her feelings, and so she can’t be annoyed by his non-stop business talk.

She tolerates the sex but convinces him that she loves it all — loves him, and that she’s so happy — so she can secure a life for her and her son.

She’s requesting expensive vacations and jewelry, and starting to alienate him from his friends and family by lying and exaggerating situations to make her seem like a victim. I don’t know this man, but apparently he’s very nice.

I’ve listened to her for months and it makes me sick.

I’ve told her she should end things. She never will because of the wealth.

Do I have an obligation to warn him with an anonymous email or letter?

A. No. You don’t know him, and your motive just may include getting back at your colleague for her bullying rather than saving her boyfriend.

You’ve “listened for months,” but you didn’t have to.

You could’ve told her very early on that you find her duplicity offensive.

It wouldn’t have stopped her, but you wouldn’t have been an enabler by serving as her audience. Back off now. Say you’ve heard enough.

Topless in my backyard

Q. I live in a townhouse with a six-foot wood privacy fence with spaces between the slats.

As you walk or drive by, you can see into my back patio area.

I often go topless inside my house, and want to hang out on my patio topless.

But I’m afraid that if someone sees me they can call it indecent exposure.

Is that going to be an issue when I’m inside my own yard?

A. The “property rights” vs. indecent exposure issue depends on the laws where you live.

In Canada, according to www.criminal.findlaw.ca, “Canada’s Criminal Code forbids nudity in public places or on private property that’s exposed to public view without a lawful excuse.”

Issues with neighbours may then still arise, e.g. if there are curious children living nearby with parents who object.

Or if strangers and passersby gather to stare and/or take photos, putting your situation in the public domain.

The simplest solution to uncertainty — hang view-blocking art on the fence.

Son has a bad attitude

Q. I’m female, 60, with a married son, 37, who has a daughter. If I ask for help, he’s too busy or just “can’t do it.”

I gave him a large sum of money to purchase a home, and always offer him help when needed.

Recently, I requested he store my new kayak in his backyard for several days.

When I arrived, he’d just left, his gate locked. I had to unload and carry the kayak myself inside his garage, leaving room for his vehicle.

Later, he berated me. He’d moved it outside, filled with stones.

It had deep scratches and had been dragged over the stones.

I’m very independent and despise asking for favours. I feel that my son’s mean and uncaring. Should I confront him?

A. Forget the incident, but not his attitude. Ask for little, and gift him less.

Develop a respectful relationship with your granddaughter instead.