Short Answers

By Jeff Johnson and Paula Forman 

LIVE FREE

Dear Short Answers:
I’m 16 years and my dad owns a dry cleaners. All he talks about is how he’s going to retire one day and I will own the place. Problem is that I hate it, hate it, hate it. I work there and it’s hot and it smells. But if I don’t act like I love it, he won’t pay for college.  All I want is to go to college and never come back to this stupid town.  Help!
Wanting Out

Dear Wanting:

Talk to your dad. Don’t say you hate the place but you can certainly tell him that you have other dreams for yourself — even if you don’t know what those dreams are. Trust us — you aren’t the first kid in the world to want to go your own way. If he does withdraw support for college then you will have to make other arrangements but to continue this charade isn’t fair to either of you.

JUST DO IT

Dear Short Answers:
When we all started to shelter-at-home I made a list of the things I wanted to do that I never seemed to have time to do. Reading books was at the top of the list. But for some reason, I still don’t have time to just sit down and just read a book. How do people do it? I feel like I never have enough time for everything in my day yet alone finding ways to kill time.  How can I schedule more leisure in my life?
Missing Out

Dear Missing:
It is about Priorities. Make reading a “have to” not a “want to.”  Start with 20 minutes a day. Perhaps not everything you are currently doing is as important as you think.

IN OR OUT?

Dear Short Answers:
I just found out that a really good friend of mine made some porno movies that are on the Internet. It took me a while but I finally found them and it turned out to be gay porn. I never knew that my friend had sex with other men. But now that I know, do I tell him that I know — about the sex videos and guy thing? Or do I shut up and pretend that I don’t. It’s not a big deal to me but I don’t know what he’ll say.
A Friend

Dear Friend:
It depends on how good a friend you want to be. Since it’s already on the Internet,  he should know that anyone can see it. You should acknowledge that you have seen the sex videos because if you don’t, there is a considerable distance between you. But don’t ask him for an explanation.  He’ll give you one if he wants to.

RASHOMON

Dear Short Answers:
When the hotels opened up again, I decided that my daughter and I should spend some quality time at a secluded beach resort for a week. I thought it would be great mother-daughter bonding. I had a wonderful time and my daughter (to my face) agreed. But she told her father that it was the worst experience of her life! Should I confront her about this? Or just leave it alone?
Hurting Mama

Dear Mama:
Trust your own instincts.  If it felt good, it was good.  The rest is noise in the system

NOT BRAIN SURGERY

Dear Short Answers:
Why are boys so complicated?
Trying to Cipher

Dear Trying:
They’re not. What makes you think they are?

Life is complicated.  Short Answers isn’t. 

Send a question about whatever is bothering you to [email protected] or go to www.shortanswers.net and a psychologist and sociologist will answer.  A selection of the best questions will be printed every week in KonkLife.

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]