Dear Queenie,
My husband talks on the phone and sometimes even reads text messages while he is driving if there is no other traffic.
Queenie, is this legal?—Worried wife
Dear Wife,
Of course, it is not legal! And it is very dangerous.
A driver should always have his eyes and his full attention on the road, even if there is no other traffic. There is always the possibility of a stray animal or other object running/falling/rolling/blowing across the road, or a pothole, that might cause him to lose control if he is the least bit distracted.
Dear Queenie,
I have a pistol that I keep always loaded and locked up in a safe place in the house. When we hired a sitter recently when we went out for an evening, my wife told her about the gun because she thought she had a right to know.
I think she shouldn’t have mentioned it, because it was locked up where the sitter couldn’t find it or get to it. This may even put us in danger, because how do we know she won’t mention it to someone who might break in and try to steal it?
Queenie, what do you think?—Worried husband
Dear Husband,
I think you are right. This kind of information should not be shared.
Dear Queenie,
When my unmarried daughter died I was left with her toddler son. I love my grandson, but I’m almost 60, not married, and it’s a strain. My friends my own age have their own interests and my boyfriend, who is much younger than me, broke up with me, and I don’t get any time for myself because as soon as I look away the kid gets into some kind of mischief.
Queenie, HELP!—Overwrought grandmother
Dear Grandmother,
Can the child’s grandfather (your ex-husband?) and/or the boy’s other grandparents help by looking after him now and then so you can have some free time? What about the boy’s father? He should at least be paying support for his son, which would help you pay for day-care or a babysitter if you need financial assistance. And soon enough the boy will be old enough to go to school every day, which will also give you some relief.
Dear Queenie,
My daughter got pregnant by a man she was dating, but she was not serious about him and they broke up when he found out she was pregnant. She had an abortion because she can barely support herself and she knew she could not afford to support a child too.
Queenie, she knows I do not approve of abortion. How can I support her when what she did goes against what I believe in?—Religious mother
Dear Mother,
Your daughter has her own beliefs and reasons for what she did. Hopefully, your religion allows you to support your child even if she does not share your beliefs.
If you need help in dealing with all this, perhaps your pastor can help or can refer you to someone for professional counselling.
Dear Queenie,
When I was little my father would make out with my mother while I was watching, watch porn while I could see it, walk into my room without knocking while I was getting dressed or undressed, and tell dirty jokes where I could hear him. After I got married he even asked my husband questions about how our wedding night went.
Queenie, was I sexually abused?—Just wondering
Dear Just wondering,
I would say yes, that was a form of mental and emotional sexual abuse. If you feel you need help to deal with the aftereffects, I (as usual) recommend professional counselling.
