Dear Queenie,
I’m in high school. My father died when I was in second grade and a man in our church became my mentor and has become like a father to me, but he hits me with a strap when he thinks I have been bad. I haven’t told my mother about this so she doesn’t know.
Queenie, I like everything else about this man, but not the beatings. What can I do?—Unhappy boy
Dear Boy,
This man has no right to hit you. What he is doing to you is abusive. You should tell your mother or a teacher or school counsellor about it and let them take the appropriate steps.
Dear Queenie,
A gay couple moved into our neighborhood recently and most of the others who live here have accepted them and think we are bigots for not doing so because it is against our religion.
Queenie, should we go against our religion just to please the others?—Concerned religious neighbor
Dear Neighbor,
Sexual orientation is born-in, it is not a matter of choice. You might be happier in a less-integrated neighbourhood, but you should take this opportunity for mental and emotional growth by accepting people who are “different”.
I wish you and your new neighbours well.
Dear Queenie,
The grown-up daughter of a friend of mine recently died in a car accident. My friend, who lives away from here with her new husband, did not come to her daughter’s funeral.
Queenie, shouldn’t I be shocked?—Shocked friend
Dear Friend,
Is it possible that your friend and her daughter were estranged? Or your friend may have health or financial problems that prevented her from travelling.
Let your friend know that you were surprised by her absence. If she explains, all well and good, but let it go at that.
Dear Queenie,
Some friends of ours do not have soap in their bathroom. We take soap with us when we visit them, but unless they do too, nobody else can wash their hands properly after they go to the toilet. And we are concerned that our friends prepare food for us to eat when they have not been able to wash their hands properly.
We have tried giving them fancy soaps and a fancy soap dish, but things don’t change.
Queenie, what more can we do?—Concerned friends
Dear Friends,
Maybe your friends take soap with them when they go to the bathroom, but do not leave it there. And there should be soap there for visitors.
Have you talked to your friends about this? Try showing them this letter and hope things improve.
Dear Queenie,
I see letters to advice columns complaining that people do not send thank you notes for gifts they receive.
My wife and I are older, grandparents and even great-grandparents. Once we learned to use our cell phones for texting this wasn’t a problem any more.
Queenie, you tell them!—Contented grandmother
Dear Grandmother,
Here it is. Thank you for your suggestion.
