Archive for May, 2004
May 19th, 2004
Dear Straight Talk: I’m a 13-year-old boy and I live with my mother and her boyfriend. My father is out of the picture. My mom’s boyfriend regularly comes home drunk or loaded and threatens us with physical violence. I tell her to leave him, but she won’t. I tell her to call the police but she won’t and she begs me not to. I’d like to run away but then she’d be alone with him.—Ready to snap
Dear Ready: The next time this happens, call the police. Do not hesitate. Or better yet, report the abuse now and have a restraining order placed on this man. Once he’s out of the picture, I recommend counseling for both of you.
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May 19th, 2004
Dear Straight Talk: A friend recently told me that he’s gay and now I don’t know how to relate to him. He’s always been shy and not real sure of himself. He said I was the first person he told. Since then, I’ve kept my distance and I can see that he is depressed. Our high school has a gay population but he’s a bit of a loner. I really don’t want anything to with him, but I feel guilty. How should I handle the situation? —Feel like a heel
Dear Feel: By doing something about that guilty feeling. Though your reaction was natural, I think you realize that your friend did a very courageous thing by confiding in you and you rejected him. You sound like a strong, but sensitive male and that’s probably why he came to you. So, buck it up and deal with it. He’s a human being just like you.
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May 19th, 2004
Dear Straight Talk: I’m 16 and my friend, also 16, smokes pot. I don’t know what to do about it. She’s been my best friend since third grade. Do I tell her parents and then lose a friend, perhaps many friends for being a tattletale, or do I just stop hanging around with her—or do I pretend everything is okay so we can keep being friends? —At a loss
Dear Loss: Pretending things are okay only works when problems dissolve immediately—which it might—maybe she’s only experimenting. Talk to your friend about your concerns. Definitely don’t hang around with her when she’s using or you stand a chance of being busted along with her. If she’s doing more than experimenting, tell a caring adult, whether that be her parents, a teacher, or counselor. She may hate you for it at first, but you will always know you did the right thing.
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