Transgender classmate isn’t ready for romance
DEAR ABBY » I’m 16 and have had trouble with romance for as long as I can remember.
Right now I am close to a relationship with a boy at my school who is a year older. I have had feelings for “Ben” for almost a year, and I found it was mutual a few months ago. He invited me to coffee but later canceled, explaining that he wasn’t emotionally prepared, which was clear. He feels the way he does for a reason. Ben is a transgender male, and his mother disapproves, as do many of our classmates.
Two months ago, we agreed to be “just friends
... for now.” Since then,
Bridge
“The Goon Show” was very popular in England, especially with Prince Charles. Michael Bentine, Spike Milligan, Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers wrote bizarre comedy sketches and two-liners. For example:
“Good morning — my name is Neddy Seagoon.”
“What a memory you have!”
To write their material required zany mental gymnastics. Some bridge deals need a more logical form of the same. You assume a bad lie of the opposing cards and have to find the best way to vault over it and land safely on the mat — as in this deal.
How should South play in four spades after West leads the club king?
Over South’s weak twobid, North might have bid no feelings have changed for either of us. However, I know Ben still isn’t ready, largely because of his mother’s and his classmates’ influence.
I’m getting impatient. I’ve been in relationships before, the middle-school kind, and I know how my brain functions. Right now, I worry obsessively about how he feels.
I blame Ben’s mother and classmates for the stress he’s under. They’re the reason for his dysphoria and panic attacks. I’m angry. How can I wait peacefully and get over my bitterness toward his mother? three no-trump, but understandably went with the nine-card fit.
If East has the diamond ace, the contract will be safe. So declarer should assume that West holds that critical card. Clearly, South must fight to keep East off the lead.
Declarer should start
DEAR TEEN » You need to find ways to get your mind off this budding romance and channel these negative emotions, if only because Ben isn’t ready for what you have in mind. Bear in mind that he is on a long and complicated journey. (Give him props for honesty.) Then buckle down and concentrate on your schoolwork, find a sport or other activity you can involve yourself in and, if your school doesn’t have a Genders and Sexualities Alliance, consider starting one at your school. by ducking the first trick. Maybe West will continue with a low club to his jack. Or he might switch to a diamond. But let’s assume he plays a trump.
Now South does best to win in hand, lead the club jack and, when West produces the queen, duck again in the dummy.
Suppose West plays another trump. Declarer wins on the board and cashes the club ace, discarding a low heart from hand. He continues with three rounds of hearts, ruffing the last in hand. Have they broken 3-3? If so, South has a discard for his low diamond. If not, he must hope, finally, that East has the diamond ace.
On any other line of play, declarer trips and falls.