DEAR ABBY: My beloved father passed away three years ago. One of my older sisters moved in with Mom to help take care of her and be her companion. My sister has a boyfriend my father absolutely disliked, and the rest of our family doesn't like him either.
My issue (and I'm not the only family member who feels this way) is that when her boyfriend is at the house, he sits in Dad's chair. It's hard enough not seeing Dad there anymore, but seeing the boyfriend sitting there is offensive. Am I wrong for feeling this way? If there is a way, how could I or my family approach the subject with my sister or her boyfriend? -- DADDY'S GONE NOW
DEAR DADDY'S GONE NOW: Please accept my sympathy for the loss of your obviously much-loved father. But the boyfriend may be using Dad's chair because no one else is using it, and it is comfortable and available.
As I see it, you and your other siblings have two choices: Either speak to the boyfriend and tell him -- nicely -- that seeing him occupy your father's special chair is painful for all of you, or replace the chair with one that has less sentimental value.
Dad also ate in the kitchen, walked through the door and crapped in the bathroom.
Are you going to put velvet ropes around the house?
__________________
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
Me thinks this is less about the chair, and more about not liking the boyfriend. Too bad, so sad - the sister is doing the heavy lifting taking care of Mom, they are going to have to deal.
__________________
LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
