Dear Queenie,
A family on my street had a sweet dog that they never seemed to take care of. The people next door to them told me they fed him, but that’s about all they did and even that wasn’t much. He was always out on the street even though they had a fenced-in yard and the poor dog was always as skinny as a rail.
A few days ago that same next-door neighbour told me they had moved away and just left the dog behind. She said she had been feeding him, but she couldn’t take him in because she takes care of children in her house.
I told her I would take him in and that’s what I have done and he’s settling in just fine
But Queenie, what should I say to those people who just abandoned him if they ever come looking for him?—Angry animal-lover
Dear Angry,
I do not think you have to be concerned about saying anything to those people, but if that ever happens I hope you would try to keep the “conversation” printable. I doubt I would be able to manage such self-control.
And in the unlikely event that they should want to take the dog back, just tell them how much they owe you for boarding their dog while they were away, making the price so high that they will not be willing to pay it. Then, if they try to give you a hard time about it, call the police. Even here in St. Maarten there are laws about animal cruelty and abandonment.
Dear Queenie,
A family on my street had a sweet dog that they never seemed to take care of. The people next door to them told me they fed him, but that’s about all they did and even that wasn’t much. He was always out on the street even though they had a fenced-in yard and the poor dog was always as skinny as a rail.
A few days ago that same next-door neighbour told me they had moved away and just left the dog behind. She said she had been feeding him, but she couldn’t take him in because she takes care of children in her house.
I told her I would take him in and that’s what I have done and he’s settling in just fine
But Queenie, what should I say to those people who just abandoned him if they ever come looking for him?—Angry animal-lover
Dear Angry,
I do not think you have to be concerned about saying anything to those people, but if that ever happens I hope you would try to keep the “conversation” printable. I doubt I would be able to manage such self-control.
And in the unlikely event that they should want to take the dog back, just tell them how much they owe you for boarding their dog while they were away, making the price so high that they will not be willing to pay it. Then, if they try to give you a hard time about it, call the police. Even here in St. Maarten there are laws about animal cruelty and abandonment.
Dear Queenie,
My husband and I are retired, but he still stays in touch with some of the people he used to work with, mostly women, and he flirts a lot with the women.
He says it doesn’t mean anything and he never would actually do anything more than flirt, but I really have to wonder why these young women find an old man so attractive – it’s not as if we’re rich or anything like that – and whether I really can trust him with them.
Queenie, should I be worried?—Doubtful
Dear Doubtful,
That depends on where this flirting takes place and how far it goes. If the flirting is all by text message and/or e-mail and your husband does not see these young women when you are not present, I do not think you have anything to worry about. Probably he is flattered by their attention and they are being “charitable” to an old man.
But if he is sneaking around and getting together with them behind your back, that is something else.
Dear Queenie,
My husband and I are retired, but he still stays in touch with some of the people he used to work with, mostly women, and he flirts a lot with the women.
He says it doesn’t mean anything and he never would actually do anything more than flirt, but I really have to wonder why these young women find an old man so attractive – it’s not as if we’re rich or anything like that – and whether I really can trust him with them.
Queenie, should I be worried?—Doubtful
Dear Doubtful,
That depends on where this flirting takes place and how far it goes. If the flirting is all by text message and/or e-mail and your husband does not see these young women when you are not present, I do not think you have anything to worry about. Probably he is flattered by their attention and they are being “charitable” to an old man.
But if he is sneaking around and getting together with them behind your back, that is something else.
Dear Queenie,
My husband insists he wants us to have children, but I'm not sure sure I do. I'm not that interested in children and I don't think he really is either. I have noticed that when children are around he just ignores them or goes somewhere else. He says it would be different if they were his own, but I'm not so sure.
I think he just wants to prove how much of a man he is by getting me pregnant, but then I'm the one who will have to carry the baby for 9 months with all the problems of pregnancy, and then go through all the hassle of caring for a new baby and then a toddler and eventually coping with a teenager.
Queenie, will I change my mind once I get pregnant, like he says? And will he be different with his own children?—Doubtful
Dear Doubtful,
It is possible you will change your mind and he will change his ways, but you should not count on it. If you are not absolutely certain about all this, do yourself and them a favour and do not bring unwanted children into the world.
Professional counselling might help both of you sort out your feelings. And in this case I recommend you insist your husband go with you. Tell him there is not a snowball's chance in hell of your getting pregnant unless he does (and maybe not even then, but do not tell him that).
