DEAR ABBY: I am a 12-year-old girl, and my grandpa is 75. I love him very much, but I have noticed lately that he stares at women’s breasts when they are jogging, and he smiles when a gust of wind blows a girl’s skirt up. This embarrasses me, and I am embarrassed for him. He must have realized it by now.

Is my grandpa a creepy, dirty old man? I hope it’s not true. Please answer this in the newspaper because I don’t want my family to see it. — CARRIE IN CLEVELAND

DEAR CARRIE: I’m sorry, but the fact that your grandfather would be so unsubtle as to act this way when you’re with him IS creepy, and I’m sure it is embarrassing. Tell your parents about it so your mother or father can tell him to tone down his “enthusiasm.” And if it doesn’t happen, spend less time with Grandpa.

DEAR ABBY: My fiancee, “Caitlyn,” and I are in our 40s and have been living together for a year. My family has invited us to go on a cruise for New Year’s, all expenses paid. Because Caitlyn can’t get time off from her job at the hospital, she doesn’t want me to go, either.

Also, in the fall I will be traveling to Europe with my dad to visit relatives. (He’s 80.) These trips don’t happen all the time; it’s an unusual year.

Should I refuse the cruise and miss out on being with my extended family to stay home with her while she works? I think Caitlyn’s being selfish to expect me to. We spend all our free time together. We have been to Las Vegas and on a cruise recently. Please advise. — HELD BACK IN OHIO

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DEAR HELD BACK: You and Caitlyn are adults in your 40s. At that age, Caitlyn should be independent enough to tell you to go and have a good time with your family. And you should be mature enough to discuss this with her without involving me.

DEAR ABBY: My sister loaned me her car when she went out of town so I could drop her at the airport and pick her up. (I don’t have a car of my own, but share one with my husband.) While I was driving her car, one of the tires blew. She says I should pay for the replacement tire because I was driving the car on an errand that was unrelated to picking her up when the tire blew. I disagree. Who is right? — JENNIFER IN FLORIDA

DEAR JENNIFER: If the agreement between you and your sister was that her car was to be used only to take her to the airport and pick her up, then you owe her a new tire. However, if her tires were so worn that they could cause an accident, then she should replace her own tire — and the other three as well.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.


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