Woman may have caught online 'catfish'
-- Sad Mom
Dear Mom: This is a very common reaction to the sudden ending of an intimate relationship.
This man will probably not contact you. If he is severing his relationship with your daughter, he is also severing his relationship with you.
Your daughter is mourning the death of possibility, just as you are. You will adjust, just as she will.
What you should not do is expose your daughter to your own grief and sadness. It is the unique burden of parents in your position to remain fairly neutral about the ex (they may get back together), and supportive of the partner left behind.
Dear Amy: Responding to the letter from "In the Middle," I faced a similar situation where a friend of a guest left his shoes on our boat. The person hounded our guest about his shoes. Then, I was hounded in turn to return the shoes immediately.
The shoes were returned in about a week, via U.S. mail, at my expense, with nary a thank you or acknowledgement of receipt.
Another example of an ungracious, clueless guest.
-- Furious
Dear Furious: If you want somebody to do something for you, it's best to be charming about it beforehand, and grateful about it afterward.
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(You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@amydickinson.com. Readers may send postal mail to Amy Dickinson, c/o Tribune Content Agency, LLC., 16650 Westgrove Dr., Suite 175, Addison, TX 75001. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or "like" her on Facebook.)
