Author Jeanne Phillips, the daughter of the original advice columnist Dear Abby, poses for a photo in Los Angeles, Friday, Oct. 5, 2007.DEAR ABBY: I have been blessed with success and provide a comfortable lifestyle for my wife and me. I will be 74 soon and married 55 years to my high school sweetheart.
When I come home from a busy day, I enjoy sitting down and having two generous cocktails while I listen to the news. I espouse my views on the political events of the day. And always verbalize my adoration for my wife and our family, and express much I love her. My wife gets annoyed because I get loose with my comments because of the alcohol. She wants me to quit drinking every night before dinner. I feel there’s no harm because I have only two drinks. At my age, I feel entitled, but I don’t want to make my wife feel like she is married to an alcoholic. What do you suggest I do? – MY AMERICAN DREAM INCLUDES COCKTAILS
DEAR AMERICAN DREAM: For openers, try laying off the sauce for a week or so or cut back to one drink in a smaller glass. When you say you consume two “generous” drinks a day, I can’t help but wonder what you’re using to measure. While you may have been able to drink two generous drinks when you were younger with no negative effects, as folks get older (and 74 would qualify as “older”), they don’t metabolize alcohol as well.
One of the signs of problem drinking is when it starts to cause problems with others. Another is belligerence, and if that’s the way you become as you listen to the news, you can’t blame your wife for being upset. And as to the endearments you utter while under the influence – while they may be sweet, take it from me that women much prefer to hear them from men who are sober.
DEAR ABBY: I am getting married to a wonderful man. He suggested that his close friend “Zoe” would like to be a bridesmaid, so I asked her and she accepted.