Boyfriend stays in touch with exes
Dear Abby: My boyfriend and I have dated for seven months. We have a good relationship in terms of compatibility. We are both Christian and educated, and we have good professions. We are fun-loving and both of us like to invest and travel. He enjoys my company and says I am the girl with the best qualities he’s ever dated.
But I do have one issue: He stays in close contact with his former on-and-off girlfriend of 10 years and other women he dated.
An example: Last year when he was single, he wanted to take his longterm ex-girlfriend out for a day trip, dinner and a musical so she could get away from her apartment. Her daughter and grandkids, who were living with her, made her life very tough.
I feel uneasy about this. How should I deal with this?
Sharing Him In Texas
Dear Sharing Him: If your boyfriend’s former flame has an adult daughter and grandkids, none of you are inexperienced kids yourselves. If you really want a future with him, you may have to accept that he won’t be happy if you try to curtail his social contacts. If you can’t summon up enough self-confidence to manage that, perhaps you should find someone else.
Dear Abby: I’m a 68-yearold married man with no close friends. I worked for 35 years in my familyowned bar and restaurant, until they lost it. After that, I worked as an assistant manager in a few fast-food places, then as an assistant manager in a major pharmacy.
At 65, after three knee surgeries and a foot fusion, I retired from working full time. I now work part time for a physical therapy center, mostly to keep busy and make a few bucks. I have no hobbies or major interests. I have a few health issues, which are under control.
I feel lonely most of the time. I get along with people — I just FEEL lonely. I have two sons I’m very proud of who have families of their own, but they’re busy with their lives. Can you give me any direction of where to turn?
A Bit Lonely In The East
Dear Lonely: The problem could be emotional, spiritual, existential or physical, or it may simply be boredom. But the place to start would be a doctor or a spiritual adviser to help you get to the bottom of this.