Friend lets attempt to reconnect slide
DEAR ABBY: I recently reconnected with my best friend from high school. I moved out of state at the age of 30. Turns out she lives about 70 miles from me.
Someone told me where she works and I called her. She called back. It was a good conversation, and it ended with her saying she would be in touch in the next couple of months. We had discussed getting together for lunch.
It has been almost four months, and I’m puzzled. Should I let it go or contact her once more? It bothers me that she doesn’t seem to want to get together and hasn’t told me why. — Reconnecting in the West
DEAR RECONNECTING: There could be any number of reasons your old friend let this slide. Contact her again and “remind” her you had discussed having lunch . Her response will tell you if she’s really interested.
DEAR ABBY: An issue needs addressing regarding same-sex marriage. When asking someone about his or her marital status, please keep in mind that when the person responds “married,” it may not necessarily mean to a person of the opposite sex. It would be better to ask, “What is your spouse’s name?” instead of “And her/ his name is …?”
While dealing with customer service recently, the service representative kept saying “your partner” every time I said “husband.” After three corrections, I emphatically stated “my husband” and she begrudgingly finished our transaction. (Yes, I did speak to her supervisor.)
“Partner” implies being in a business of some type. I know some people refer to their spouses as partners, but not everyone does. — “Spouses” Not “Partners” in Delaware
DEAR S. NOT P.: The world is changing quickly, and not everyone has been able to keep up. The representative should have picked up on the fact that you preferred “husband” the first time you said it. You should not have had to remind her three times. However,you were right to talk to a supervisor so the woman could be counseled.
DEAR ABBY: My 15-yearold granddaughter is being verbally abused by her dad, who has joint custody. He makes her cry every time she spends time with him. Also, there often is not enough food in the house. What can I do to protect my granddaughter? — She Needs Help
DEAR SHE NEEDS HELP: Because he is verbally abusive and doesn’t have enough food to feed her, your daughter may have to take him back to court and get a modification of the custody order. Because your granddaughter is 15, she has a right to be heard.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www. Dearabby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.