Dear Queenie,
My mother has a habit of walking around the house in just her underwear, even when I have friends visiting me.
Queenie, this isn’t a problem nowadays, because my friends don’t drop in because of the pandemic restrictions, but what do I do when things get better?—Embarrassed son
Dear Son,
Your mother seems to be desperate for attention, no matter from whom. You can talk to her about it, but she may not change, so when things get better and you and your friends can get together again, meet with them at someone else’s house.
Dear Queenie,
My best friend is someone I met while going to university. We were both foreign students, but from different countries. Now, with the COVID-19 pandemic we are both stuck at home in our own countries and I’m afraid our friendship is over.
Queenie, what do you think?—Worried friend
Dear Friend,
There is such a thing as a long-distance friendship, and these days the distance is not so long, what with phones and computers. You can still keep in touch with your friend that way, and some long-distance friendships have lasted for many years, even whole lifetimes.
Dear Queenie,
I have a teenage son and I was afraid he would start having sex with his girlfriend so I tried to talk to him about being careful not to catch an STD or get her pregnant.
I know he is careful about money, so I also gave him an arithmetic problem to solve. I told him if he got a girl pregnant he would have to pay child support until the kid turned 18, which would be maybe $300 per month for 18 years – $300 per month times 12 months per year times 18 years = $64,800, and twice that much if the girl has twins. Then I told him that when he is with a girl he should think if it is worth that much to him to have sex with her.
Queenie, what do you think of my idea?—Not a grandfather yet
Dear Not a grandfather,
I think it is a highly original idea, and I hope it works well for you – and for the sons of any other parents who read my column.
Dear Queenie,
My boyfriend’s wife died a year or so before I met him and he never really got over losing her. I tried to be patient and understanding, but his family was very close to her and they kept putting things on Facebook that reminded him of her. I told them how it made him feel and asked them not to do it and when he found out about what I said he broke up with me.
Queenie, was what I did wrong?—Ex-girlfriend
Dear Ex-girlfriend,
It was not wrong, but it was not smart. Apparently your (ex-)boyfriend was still mourning for his lost wife and was not really ready to start getting involved with anyone else. He probably will always think of you in terms of what has happened, so I do not think you have any chance of getting back together with him when he is done mourning.
Dear Queenie,
I drink too much when I don’t feel good. I try not to, but I like a clean house and my wife isn’t a very good housekeeper and when I come home to a messy house sometimes it gets me started drinking and I just can’t stop.
Queenie, what can I do besides moving out and getting a divorce?—Alcoholic husband
Dear Husband,
You could start by helping your wife with the housekeeping when it gets too messy, instead of drinking. Perhaps if you show her how to do a few things her housekeeping will improve.
As for your drinking, find and join a local Alcoholics Anonymous group.
