ArcaMax

DEAR ABBY: About 10 years ago, my longtime best friend, "Byron," abruptly cut me out of his life. I never clearly understood why. I reached out to him on and off for several years without success. Then I ran into him, traded pleasantries and we followed up. He returned my email, we began communicating again about things that mattered, and it ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband of 37 years passed away four months ago. When we were first married, we were happy, but his drinking increased and he turned into a miserable, mean drunk. When I decided I'd finally had enough, he got sick and could no longer work, and I felt obligated to take care of him. More than a decade of my life was spent looking ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I don't know what to do about my 18-year-old niece. She walks around the house in her underwear. She's been doing it for the last two or three years. It wouldn't matter, I suppose, if it were just in front of immediate family living there, but she also does it in front of workmen, the cleaning women, answering the door, going out to ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My two siblings and I were raised by an abusive, alcoholic father. Predictably, it has adversely affected our mental health adversely. One sibling struggles with alcoholism and substance abuse. The other has a personality disorder and cannot maintain stable relationships. I cope with comparatively fewer severe issues, but I still must...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm a 32-year-old mom of four (11-month-old twins, a 4-year-old and a 6-year-old). I've been married for six years. I'm a Southern girl, but my husband is an immigrant to this country. When he emigrated, he settled in the North. I have always told him before and during our marriage that I don't like the North. I want to move somewhere...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am an active widower with five grown children. Although three of them live in the same city and two live in a city nearby, I haven't heard from or seen them as often over the past few years as I would like. I realized recently that I miss their company and I'd like them to call or see me more often.

I understand they have their own...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have known "Gigi" since second grade. We have stayed in touch through the years, although more sporadically in the last two decades. Until 10 years ago, she would spend a week with us in the summer. She came three different times, and we had fun. We also visited her twice in California. I was married, but without kids then. Shortly ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My daughter passed away nine years ago. She was almost 13. My mother never bothered to have a relationship with her when she was alive. But now, on every birthday and anniversary of her passing, Mom posts on Facebook how much she misses her and how "close" they were. Her friends all send messages of love addressed to Mom, with no ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have a moral and ethical dilemma. I nominated a co-worker for a benefit through our company. The person was awarded what I consider to be a good sum ($5,000) for replacement hearing aids.

Seven months have gone by and this person "still has the check" and hasn't used the money for its intended purpose. They bought two "beater" cars...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm a woman in my early 50s who has been through two divorces. This may make me sound like a bad person, but I'm really nice and quite conservative. I just make poor choices when it comes to men.

A few years ago, I met a woman I have become good friends with. She's happily married. She and her husband are empty nesters, like I am. We...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My brother passed away. He and my sister-in-law had a good marriage. A month after his funeral, my sister-in-law gave her kids their father's clothes, instructed them to go through them, keep what they wanted or sell or donate the rest. It has been barely a year. Now she's redecorating their house -- painting, taking down pictures and...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm in a three-year relationship, but my significant other, "Ron," is extremely cautious about emotional attachment. It took him two years to tell me he loves me or even to express any form of serious affection. In addition, he's consumed by his job and worries about how his co-workers perceive him. He seems to prioritize work ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have no family and few friends -- nobody close. My live-in girlfriend of two years and I argue constantly. We no longer share a bedroom, and I feel more like a roommate. I honestly feel I'm being used for money. Her 24-year-old son died from an overdose two months ago, so I can't help but feel sorry for her. She isn't working, and I...Read more

DEAR ABBY: In response to "Ageless Lady in Washington" (Oct. 8), who sought a retort to people who ask her age, I had an aunt who refused to divulge her age. She would say to anyone inquiring, "I'll excuse you for asking, if you'll excuse me for not ANSWERING." -- JANE M. IN FLORIDA

DEAR JANE: That was a classic Dear Abby retort from many years...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am a 59-year-old man. My 50-year-old fiancee lives in a nice home, but after a 15-year loving relationship, she decided last week to be with someone else. She had recently lost a great deal of weight, bought a new car and started to do things I felt were not age-appropriate -- although I never said anything adverse about them.

She'...Read more

DEAR ABBY: The last two years have been especially tough. I went through a breakup after a four-year relationship, my dog developed cancer and I had to put her to sleep, and I caught COVID and have been dealing with long-haul symptoms ever since. My energy is low because of it, plus I've been depressed with all the events that have happened.

I ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm having a big problem with my boyfriend. We had a baby five months ago, and since then he has changed drastically. He previously had a problem with addiction, but had a handle on it. He told me the baby was powerful motivation. My pregnancy was blissful, and he was attentive and caring.

I know babies are stressful, and ours had ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Thirty years ago, I had an affair with "Roger," a married man. We worked together and fell in love. At the time, Roger was married with three children. My husband and I were separated, and I had one son. The 15-year age gap between us didn't matter to me. I admired him. Roger was soft-spoken, intelligent and a gentleman. He was of ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Years ago, my child was sexually abused by a relative. After I found out, I reported it, which made the abuser's family very upset. Charges were filed, and there were court dates, probation and counseling. To date, everything the judge required of the abuser has been legally fulfilled. While I'm glad everything was completed, I'm ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been married 45 years. We are both retired and have hobbies to keep us busy. My problem is, he has so many friends that he doesn't have time for any of the things I would like us to do together. I seem to be the last person he wants to do anything with. I don't mind some alone time, but after a while, I feel ...Read more