Man wonders if his best friend is in love with him
I do not want to hurt her. I am not sure how to deal with this.
Any suggestions?
-- Devastated
Dear Devastated: Boundaries.
Boundaries, boundaries, boundaries.
Your mother's specific choices regarding her own boundaries are her business. You have the right to declare your own boundaries, insist that she respect them, and deliver consequences if she doesn't.
It is not unlike when loved ones face a family member's addiction. You say, "I love you, but I believe your lifestyle is unhealthy. It is certainly unhealthy for me, and so I need to stay away from it. Don't talk to me about it, don't share details with me, don't expect me to visit, and don't expose my children to it."
Dear Amy: Chiming in on your poor response to "Sick at Heart," who witnessed a child screaming and the mother screaming at him at a public bus stop.
This child could be autistic. I can't believe you missed that.
-- Disappointed
Dear Disappointed: Yes, the child could have autism. If so, this should have been the first thing the adult restraining and screaming at the child could have said to explain the unfortunate situation.
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(You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@amydickinson.com. Readers may send postal mail to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or "like" her on Facebook.)
