Friendship triangle leads to non-negotiables
Dear Disappointed: Thank you for the correction and suggestion.
"Dogless" was an at-home mom who had just seen two of her children off to college. A previous experience with a dog in the home did not go well (other family members ignored the animal, and, after five years, it ran away). Her husband had announced that he would bring home a puppy, regardless of how she felt.
I was floored by this lack of respect.
I agree that leaving the home is extreme and unwise. It was my version of "going on strike."
I like your solution -- if the family members don't take care of the dog, the mother doesn't take care of them. Great idea!
Dear Amy: The letter signed "Help Not Wanted" told of a 95-year-old mother-in-law who responded harshly when the daughter-in-law offered to help her out of the back seat of their car.
I appreciated your take on this, but this fact jumped out at me: When I drive elderly people, I always offer them the front seat. Riding in the back seat might have bothered this older woman.
-- Been There
Dear Been There: Yes! Not only is the front seat more comfortable, the visibility is better. Thank you.
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(You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@amydickinson.com. Readers may send postal mail to Amy Dickinson, c/o Tribune Content Agency, 16650 Westgrove Drive, Suite 175, Addison, Texas, 75001. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or "like" her on Facebook.)
