Daughters wonder if mom is dating dear old dad again

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/12/2016 (3217 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: My mother is secretly seeing a man. Not that she can’t do that — she’s divorced — but she’s hiding this relationship as if it’s something I would disapprove of. I don’t care. I’m glad she’s happy at Christmastime, but why can’t my sister and I meet the guy? My sister wonders if it’s our dad! That would be something our mom might hide so as not to get our hopes up.

Our dad didn’t do anything over the years except get fat, lazy and boring. Now he’s all built again, has a new haircut and clothes and has been doing some dating. He’s still basically boring old dad, but he looks a lot more attractive to women his age now, and he has a career and money. What should we do?

— Nosy Daughters, Winnipeg

Dear Nosy Daughters: Do a big fat nothing. If you get in there, causing pressure or pushing things in any way, it will not help your cause if you want to get them together again. If you must do something, take your dad on some adventures to try new things. You might have fun doing an escape game together at a place like Real Escape, going skiing, skating on the river or taking him for dinner at ethnic restaurants he’s never tried.

In other words, the best way you can help dad is to pry him out of his boring old habits and make him more interesting through activities. If he isn’t trying to win over your mother and trying his new entertaining skills with a lady who suits him better, that’s also good for him. Who knows — your mom may be seeing a totally different guy, and you want her to be happy, right? So back off this puzzle. Act like you don’t mind who she’s seeing and don’t care. If she reveals her new dating interest to you, be cool. Nothing can be helped by demanding to meet new romantic interests your folks are seeing.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I slapped this woman at the bar in the washroom and walked fast out the door. Somebody who looked like her came out and found me and put me up against the wall to choke me. I was looking right in her fat face and realized she wasn’t the woman I slapped. I asked who she was and she said, “I’m her girlfriend.”

I started squeaking I was sorry, and she let me go with a warning. Then I grabbed my coat and left in a cab before she changed her mind about breaking my face. Now how do I approach going to my favourite club?

— Missing My Club and Friends, Winnipeg

Dear Missing My Club and Friends: I have never heard from so many women assaulting each other in bars as I have in 2016. What is going on? Right now you have two angry women in the same club who don’t want to see your face. I think your self-administered punishment should be to stay away from your favourite place for a month or two. You don’t want to lose your Chiclets right before Christmas. It’s cute only when a child sings All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth.

Frankly, you are acting like a slippery character. You didn’t say why you initially slapped the woman you fought with — you can’t even be honest with me, a person you’re asking for an honest opinion. But you have my thoughts today anyway. I hope you have a better, happier 2017.

Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@hotmail.com or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6.

Miss Lonelyhearts
Advice Columnist

   Read full biography