Dear Amy: My husband and I don’t see eye-to-eye on an important issue. He has a habit of leaving our house keys inside our car. He leaves the keys in the cup holder, so they are in open view. He does this whether it is day or night.
My husband travels and is normally gone all week, so our two young children and I are home alone. It really frightens me that he does this. Whenever I explain why I think what he does is dangerous, he rolls his eyes. Am I being paranoid?
– Worried
Dear Worried: This practice presents a hazard to your vehicle, your home, you and your family. I can’t imagine why your husband wouldn’t respect this very elementary matter of security and crime prevention.
I assume that you are extra vigilant about your security because of your husband’s absences – good for you. Your local police department may offer a walk-through security assessment for homeowners; if so, I would recommend it.
…
Dear Amy: I was divorced five years ago. My children are now in college.
Five years ago my ex-husband gave my son a collection of books for Christmas. They were all classics: Proust, Shakespeare, Kafka, Twain, et al. Now, five years later, my ex continues to send my son the same books that he gave to him five years ago. Do you think he just forgot? Was he too consumed with his new wife and his new life? Over Thanksgiving my son said to me, “Mom, Dad is five for five.
Every book he’s sent me, he’s sent me before.” I really don’t know how to respond to my son. Do you have any advice?
– Nancy
Dear Nancy:
You or your son could e-mail, phone or write to his father to basically say, “Dad, I really appreciate the books you’ve given me these past few Christmases, but you’ve repeated some of the gifts. I’m sure it’s accidental, but I just wanted to let you know. I love getting books, and I have a list of books I’d look forward to reading if you want any suggestions.” One of my favorite childhood holiday stories concerns a neighbor of ours who gave one child a scarf still on the knitting needles one year (not quite finished) and the next year gave the finished scarf to another child.
It really IS the thought that counts.
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