Dear Abby 11-08-09

[Mimi Seattle]

http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/

[Mimi Seattle]

Yawn yawn yawn yawn yawn
Mimi is a tired girl
Going to bed now

[Detroit Daria]

LW1--What a fabulous, thoughtful idea. But how much was that car worth??

LW2--Send them a bill. Or threaten to sue them for fraud. Greedy 'hos.

[Terri at home]

Thanks again, Mimi. Two letters, polar opposites.

L1: That is an absolutely great idea. Even if you can't get much for a car, you can always kick into the transportation fund for bdays and holidays. I'm going to remember this idea.

L2: Unbelievable.

[I Like Tonka]

LW1: Wow!

LW2: Wow!

[Jess in NJ]

Thanks Mimi!

LW1 - That is a great idea, though you would have to make sure that the company is trustworthy.

There was just an accident out here last week involving an elderly couple who drove the wrong way down the NJ Turnpike. Apparently there had been some discussion among their children about whether they should talk to their father about relinquishing his driver's license. They didn't have that conversation with him and now both of their parents are dead. My heart goes out to them.

LW2 - Did they throw their own 25th anniversary party? How can you be separated for 8 years and still maintain so much of a charade that no one in your family knows about it (assuming that you all live in the same town still)? I just don't understand some people.

[TamoraRose]

I Like Tonka wrote:

LW1: Wow!
LW2: Wow!

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[cheluzal]

1: Aw, that last line almost made me cry.
Yes, you need to get a reputable company, but sadly, I'm having a hard time thinking of one who would agree to that.

2: Divorced for 8 years and no one knew, not even the brother? Did they still live together?
Wack-jobs.
Confront them...of course, they won't see a problem with it, but it will set the course for the rest of your life on what you do to/for them: absolutely nothing.

[Andie J]

L1- We have 1 cab company in town. They have a number of people who have regularly scheduled pickups. I can't see them agreeing to provide the kind of service the LW mentions. Of course, if I need a cab, I consider myself lucky that one is running well enough to get me where I want to go. It's a nice thing Carl is doing for his mother. I'd be interested in how much he pays every month for the service.
L2- What a couple of greedy jerks. And to accept gifts is beyond cheap & tawdry. I'd like to throw myself a 25th anniversary party. The 25th anniversary of my 1st marriage was June 8, 2005. Can I make the party retroactive? No gifts under $100, please. And I promise to serve undercooked chicken. Cash bar.

[Mimi Seattle]

Andie J wrote:

L2- What a couple of greedy jerks. And to accept gifts is beyond cheap & tawdry. I'd like to throw myself a 25th anniversary party. The 25th anniversary of my 1st marriage was June 8, 2005. Can I make the party retroactive? No gifts under $100, please. And I promise to serve undercooked chicken. Cash bar.

Yeah me too. Let me think...25th anniversary of my FIRST marriage would have been April 11, 2005 (ha! I beat you) and the 25th anniversary of my SECOND marriage would have been October 12, 2009. Almost made the second one but he died in February 2003, so 18 1/8 years.

Wow it just hit me while I was reading this over. If he didn't die we would have been married 25 years this year. Wow...

[Mimi Seattle]

ahem... 18 ans 1/2 (HALF) ..hands over bank card...

[edogxxx]

LW1: Are you done patting yourself on the back now or do want us to do it?

LW2: They've been divorced for 8 yrs and no one knew? They threw an anniversary party anyway? Sounds like everyone involved has mental issues.

[Lifes a Beach]

LW1 - great idea. With aging baby boomers, and a surplus of mini vans, this could also be a lucrative business idea.

LW2 - unbelievable

[Marsha]

edogxxx wrote:

LW1: Are you done patting yourself on the back now or do want us to do it?

It's called sharing a great idea, Sherlock.

[edogxxx]

Marsha wrote:

<quoted text>
It's called sharing a great idea, Sherlock.

Call it whatever you want. I think this LW has an excessive amount of self-pride. I imagine he's told all of his friends and coworkers what a fantastic guy he is and what a great thing he's done.

[Jess in NJ]

edogxxx wrote:

<quoted text>
Call it whatever you want. I think this LW has an excessive amount of self-pride. I imagine he's told all of his friends and coworkers what a fantastic guy he is and what a great thing he's done.

I think that there's a difference between sharing an idea like this, one that is helpful and might not occur to most people, and just writing in to brag that "I'm a guy and everyone should be more like me."

[edogxxx]

Jess in NJ wrote:

<quoted text>
I think that there's a difference between sharing an idea like this, one that is helpful and might not occur to most people, and just writing in to brag that "I'm a guy and everyone should be more like me."

Quit saying what a great guy he is. He put his mother in a home and sold her car!

[old enough]

Andie J wrote:

L2- What a couple of greedy jerks. And to accept gifts is beyond cheap & tawdry. I'd like to throw myself a 25th anniversary party. The 25th anniversary of my 1st marriage was June 8, 2005. Can I make the party retroactive? No gifts under $100, please. And I promise to serve undercooked chicken. Cash bar.

What a great idea! In 2 years, it will be the 40th anniversary of my divorce. I will throw myself a celebration and ask for money!(I have all the stuff I need already)

[old enough]

Sorry about double post.

[Jess in NJ]

edogxxx wrote:

<quoted text>
Quit saying what a great guy he is. He put his mother in a home and sold her car!

He helped his mother find a solution to a problem that improved her quality of life. Do you have a relative who should no longer be driving or living on their own in a large house? It is one of the most helpless and frustrating situations that a person can find themselves in - trying to figure out how to convince a loved one to give up their "freedom" when it is no longer safe for them to be behind the wheel or even walking up and down stairs by themselves.

I don't see this letter as the LW simply bragging. I don't think he's trying to call himself a great guy. It just comes across as helpful.

You are not going to start an argument with me today :)