Dear Abby: My best friend accused me of having an affair with a married man
DEAR ABBY: My best friend of 45 years and I are 65.She has been married since 1985; I have been divorced for many years.
She recently shocked me by claiming that a mutual friend told her I have been having an affair with a married acquaintance! This is false, but I now wonder whether she said it because she suspects it herself. When I got angry and said I would confront the other friend, she demanded that I not do so because it would “make her look bad for telling.” Could my suspicion be correct? If the other person was the one who actually suspected me, why wouldn’t she want me to question her? — PUZZLED LADY OUT WESTDEAR PUZZLED LADY: Not knowing your best friend of 45 years, I am not in a position to answer that question.However, the surest way to get to the bottom of this would be to go directly to the person your BFF said told her and ask where she got such an idea.DEAR ABBY: For holidays and special occasions, we usually have eight people at a six-place dining room table.
Two of our guests are “orphans” who were invited by my better half.The problem is, the man, “George,” is a chain-smoker, and I almost always get a splitting headache in his presence. I can hold my breath for the 10 seconds or so when George and I hug hello, but what do you suggest I say or do at the dinner table? I will be at the farthest end possible, but I’ll still be just a few feet away from the problem.
Uninviting them is not an option.— SMOKED OUT IN CALIFORNIADEAR SMOKED OUT: Lucky you.
You live in California, where it’s possible to open windows and get cross-ventilation.Because it isn’t possible to uninvite these guests, give your dining room as much fresh air as possible and insist that if your guests “must” smoke, they do it outside and far from the open windows.DEAR ABBY: My daughter is getting married in a few weeks and is insisting I sit with her father at the ceremony.
Abby, we have been divorced for 20 years.I have been remarried for 12 years...