Is your friend adulterous? It’s none of your business

My friend has been in a relationship for seven years. During this time, she has had many one night stands and flings. Her boyfriend has no clue about it and has been very loyal to her. Right now, she is having a scene with someone from her office. And recently, she spent the whole night at this guy’s house and the next evening went to meet her boyfriend’s parents to fix her engagement. I am feeling bad about her boyfriend and want to tell him the truth. Would I be wrong if I do this? Nadia

Nadia, do you know the story of Pinnochio’s brother Pistochio? Pinnochio gets all the glory because he got himself a publisher and pushed his story. (History was the one where the more lies he told, the longer his nose grew). But Pistochio’s story was actually better. Every time he interfered in somebody’s business, a part of Pistochio’s nose would fall off. At the end, Pinnochio died a multimillionaire, but poor Pistochio died faceless and penniless and, yes, noseless. So Nadia, if you need to interfere, I say confront her, try to get her to see the error of her ways. But otherwise, the Supreme Court has ruled adultery is none of your business.

I have been dating a guy for a year. None of my friends like him. They don’t even meet me when he is around. Please help. NT

The question, NT, is why do none of your friends like your boyfriend? The reasons could range — from because he wears a ponytail to because he doesn’t read Chetan Bhagat novels. Of course, as you are acutely aware of, very often people who tie their hair in ponytails are the same people who don’t read Chetan Bhagat novels in the first place. The solution to your problem lies in the example of China. When China found India was being ‘unfriendly’, they decided to get a new friend, namely Pakistan. Similarly, all you have to do is find new friends, with your boyfriend. Thus, you will enjoy two groups: (a) Old friends, (b) New friends with boyfriend. And in time you can form a third group depending on who you tire first.

In the last two years, I’ve dated two women, and both of them dumped me. Before these two relationships, I broke up with someone because I thought she was too serious about me. Now, I feel like I made a mistake. I want to date her. She is single now, but is not ready to give me a second chance. FR

The Romanian philosopher Nicole Pompesaiw said, “Sometimes we take a full circle to come back to the same spot.” That was because all the roads in Bucharest were circular then. Nicole was famous for getting lost and landing up in the same spot, again and again. Much later, doctors discovered he had no power in his lower limbs, and had been immobile all his life. FR, you are doing a Nicole. Why are you going back to the same spot? I’m sure you can move your limbs, or at least wiggle your toes? She has given you her answer, you had your chance before that, and life for both of you has moved on. So stop going back to the same spot. Accept her answer, and move on.