Plenty of subtext to sandy encounter with ex

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/08/2020 (1875 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: Hidden down among sand dunes near East Beach (at Grand Beach) I could hear another couple not far away, giggling and scuffling. So my best girlfriend and I, who were just reading magazines and casually eavesdropping, were surprised to hear my unusual name mentioned. The girl screamed, “You mean this is the same spot you used to bring (my name)?”

Then I heard my recent ex-boyfriend say, “Yeah, what of it? It’s great place!” Then I heard her say, in her sucky voice, “Well I’m putting my clothes back on and getting out of here.” And then — I couldn’t hold myself back — I shouted in my recognizable voice, “GOOD IDEA!” I’ve never had a more satisfying moment in my life. I know her, too, with that phony little-girl voice she puts on. She was always trying to take my boyfriend. Good luck, idiot!

— Ha! Ha! Grand Beach

Dear Ha! Ha!: Your amusement will have worn off by now. It sounds like neither one of you are totally over the romance. Why can’t both of you find new and different places near the big lake to play?

He was NOT with someone he likes better, because she’s historically been chasing him and he hasn’t been interested. You were not with some guy you like better — you were hidden with your female buddy reading magazines and (perhaps subconsciously) standing guard over the old romantic hideaway you had with him.

It’s time you and your recent ex have a big heart-to-heart and clear the air. This romance is in trouble, but could possibly be mended. He was angry and may have been trying to exorcise you from his mind, so he took that girl there. You were angry, so you were lying in wait. You and he are still on the same wavelength, with even the same timing. Don’t throw it away, if you both still love each other!

I get sad letters from people who are still in love with one other after having a fight, breaking up and ending up married to two different people. It’s a mistake you shouldn’t make! Be sure both of you are truly out of love before you say goodbye for good.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: We’re seniors and just came back from our cabin this side of the Ontario border on a beautiful lake. We’ve been there since spring when COVID-19 first started to rise in numbers.

We’ve discovered we don’t want to live in Winnipeg anymore and we’re in a quandary. We also don’t want to live at the lake, without our wonderful neighbours. City life is not for us now, but we don’t want to live in a small town without a lake beside us.

We also can’t make reservations on a Caribbean island for the winter though we have the money. So, what can we do?

— Unhappy Passenger, Trans-Canada Highway

Dear Passenger: Here’s an idea: Go back to your cabin and stay another month or so — as far into the fall as you can stand it and until there are no friends left there. Let it get cold and “wear it out.” Then, come back to Winnipeg. The good news is life in the city feels like a small town this year, in terms of how many people you see and what you can do for entertainment.

As a result, people are becoming more laid back. There’s much less pressure to become engaged in extra work, classes, team sports, parties or concerts. It feels like a smaller hometown — but maybe you’d like that now. Choose a bubble of mutually interested friends and relations who are safety conscious, and enjoy them more this winter.

Consider booking ahead — maybe a winter stay away in the tropics, for one or two years hence, when there should be a working vaccine. Look forward to that as your next dream vacation. This year, choices are reduced to help keep us safe. Yes, it means life is slower-paced and sometimes a little boring, but no better in a small town. And, as you know, safety from COVID-19 is our main concern right now.

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.