Reader needs to tell friend purchase was unacceptable
Aries (March 21-April 19) You might have wanted to mitigate a potential disagreement, but before you can do anything, the issue seems to worsen. You have a strong opinion. Taurus (April 20-May 20) Keep conversations moving. You might not agree with a key person in your life, but know that everyone needs to honor others’ viewpoints. Gemini (May 21-June 20) Be aware of what others expect as you accept their help in establishing plans. There might be a hidden agenda that doesn’t emerge until later. Cancer (June 21-July 22) You could be disgusted with what emerges in a discussion. You might try to change the topic, or perhaps you’ll let someone else take control. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Read between the lines of a power play. You will want to back off and not get involved. The unexpected could occur, and you might have to adjust your plans. This year you’ll need to take care of yourself first, as you tend to lead a stressful life at times. Learn different ways of reducing the pressure, such as exercise and/or learning to meditate. If you are single, you meet people with ease. You have an innate charm that attracts potential suitors. If you are attached, the two of you become even closer. As a couple, you’ll decide to reach a new level of commitment. Both of you might have a few trepidations but will be excited as well. CANCER can be annoying at times with his or her domestic needs.
What the stars Mean Dynamic Positive Average So-so Difficult
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
You could be overwhelmed by everything you need to do. The best way to handle this feeling is to jump right in. A loved one seems to be set on getting what he or she wants. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
You might feel pressured by someone else’s demands. How you handle this situation will depend on what you want from it. A partner could become unusually demanding. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Reach out to someone who means a lot to you. This person always has strong views, and his or her feedback will help you to clear the air. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) One-on-one relating will take you to a whole new level of understanding. Recognize your limits and state them; others need to know where you come from. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Defer to others as you attempt to gain a clearer vision of what is possible. You usually have a lot of opinions, but deciding which way to go could be more important right now than you realize. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Maintain some distance if you are not comfortable with what someone else is sharing. Know that there could be some disagreement about a personal matter. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Your creativity and sense of what works are likely to come together. Let your imagination take the lead. A new friend could be unusually demanding. Jacqueline Bigar is at www.jacquelinebigar.com. Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.
Dear Annie: I am a single older woman who has been friends with another single older woman for a few years. Neither of us has family, so I have sort of come to think of her as family. A couple of years ago, this friend started riding motor scooters. She loves it and waxes enthusiastic all the time about it. I had thought about getting a scooter before I even knew her, and I finally told her I would be interested in finding a scooter for myself. I knew nothing about scooters, never even sat on one, so I was relying on my friend for advice.
Before I even had a chance to look for a scooter to buy, my friend announced she had found the perfect scooter for me — and purchased it!
The cost of the scooter was several hundred dollars. When I first saw the scooter, I thought it was a piece of junk, but my friend said she had a friend who was going to fix it for me and all would be wonderful. I had grave doubts and tried to get her to take the scooter for herself, but she wouldn’t hear of it. And I convinced myself that maybe I should give it a chance. I felt a little guilty that she had laid out the money, so I paid her for a scooter that I didn’t want and hoped for the best.
Well, over $1,000 later, the scooter was towed to the junkyard. I am angry with myself for being such a moron, and I am angry with my friend for throwing me into such an expensive mess.
I know she meant well, but she really messed me over. For someone else to assume she could indebt me for such a sum is mind-boggling. I know I have a choice — lose a friendship or forgive her and go on with a lesson learned — but how can I forgive someone who doesn’t think she has done anything wrong?
— Betrayed
Dear Betrayed: It is ridiculous that your friend bought you a scooter without even asking you and expected you to reimburse her. Let her know that though you appreciate her passion about the hobby and her wanting to get you involved, that wasn’t OK. Then I would write this unfortunate situation off as tire tracks under the bridge and move on. In other words, forgive, but don’t forget.
The next time someone crosses a boundary like that — well, don’t let it happen. You don’t have to pay for anything you didn’t agree to buy in the first place.