friends with bad taste

Dear Bolton Carley,

My friend has a husband I don’t like.  I try to be nice for her sake, but I know he verbally abuses her if not worse.  Got any suggestions for what to do?

Icked Out

Dear Icked Out,

Been there, done that!  I know it is difficult to be around someone that you don’t like and that you know doesn’t treat people well.  I must also say that I commend you for trying to be nice to make things easier for your friend. 

However, I do think that if he’s abusive, it would be hard to be around him.  My first suggestion is to do your best to spend time with her when he isn’t available.  Then you can avoid him and she still gets out with people who are nice to her.  (If you know a good hitman, that’s not a bad idea either – oh wait, no, that is a bad idea, if not an enjoyable one to ponder.) J

Often times guys who aren’t nice to their significant others try to keep them from having close friends so that they depend on their husband instead.  Please make sure your friend knows that you care about her and that she deserves better.  How do you do that?  Well, she may not believe it, but you tell her those exact words, and I’m a firm believer in asking her if it would be okay if one of her kids was treated like she gets treated.  Usually when seen that way, it makes a lot more sense.  Plus, if she has kids, she needs to realize that her kids are learning it’s okay to be treated like crap. 

It’s always a long road of misery to get to the promised land.  Too bad you can’t just grab one of those canes from the old black and white movies and pull her out of her house like it was a stage.  But don’t give up on her when she refuses to see the light because I can promise you she won’t right away.  You do not want her to become even more reliant on her husband if he’s really that bad.  That being said, you can’t make her ditch him either.  She has to figure it out for herself.  And while you’re politely saying “WTF?” to all your friends about the situation, she is struggling to admit she screwed up in marrying him.  And she probably thinks she doesn’t deserve any better because that’s what he’s been telling her.  So do your best to build her back up and give her the benefit of the doubt.  (And then go home and have another drink.)

Bottom line:  Ride it out if you can.  No woman likes having a big ass.  Sooner or later, she’ll work on getting rid of it.

Sincerely,

bc

Get Smurfed!

Dear Bolton Carley,

I have a grumpy wife.  I love her, but she’s grumpy.  How do I magically make her happy again?

Happy Smurf

Dear Happy Smurf,

I ‘spose I should first say:  you’re not alone.  My husband has one of those, too!  And there’s probably about a billion other guys right there with you.  And well, “magically” making her happy?  Good luck!

However, I would generally guess that most wives may not be so unhappy with you as unhappy with life, and quite honestly, she may not even realize it or know why.  I completely blame hormones, but I don’t really think this a matter of blame so much as a problem needing solved. 

You wanna a cheery, happy wife?  I highly recommend your first stop is the dishwasher.  Unload or load.  I guarantee she’ll be thrilled.  Have supper on the table or clean the bathroom and she’ll remember why she married you.  And even if work sucks, her sister won a trip to New York City, or her best friend ditched her to go shopping with the new boss, she’ll brush it aside because you did something out of the ordinary to show you love her.  And yes, you probably show her that in 5000 ways every day, but it’s the one thing that you don’t usually do that we notice.  It’s much like us going braless or wearing mascara when we don’t normally:  it gets your fire burning.  We just get hot over your domestic abilities and extra efforts.  What can I say?  It may not be right, but I promise results.

Bottom line:  Smurfette was blond, spoiled, and happy.  Smurf to it, my friend.  You know what to do.

Sincerely,

bc