Monkey business
Dear Dr. Lovemonkey,
Your column used to be entertaining. It often pertained to topics I was glad I could not relate to. Reading stories/questions just barely outlandish enough to leave the reader wondering if they might be real was half of the entertainment. The second half was your witty and yet down-to-earth response. Please bring back the “monkey” aspect of your name, or leave me to be entertained only by the crossword puzzle on your page (Moon Signs sucks consistently).
_Spanking the Monkey
Dear Spanking,
Dr. Lovemonkey appreciates criticism, but he’d find it a bit more useful if you were more specific. I think what you’re saying is that you enjoy reading about topics that you found either borderline offen-sive or so ridiculous as to be unbelievable. If so, we will try to encourage more unstable and/or silly people to write in. It is my deep desire that they know who they are. My second deepest desire is that they know who you are.
Dubious judgment
Dear Dr. Lovemonkey,
One of the women with whom I work is a divorced mother of an eight-year-old son. For the past couple of weeks, she has been telling me about a relationship she’s been having with a 16-year-old boy in her neighborhood. She has told me that they are engaged in quite a variety of sexual adventures. I don’t know this kid’s name, and I am quite concerned and disturbed about my friend’s behavior. Has she not heard of these other adult women who have caused untold problems and misery by getting involved with teenage boys? I have told her that this is dangerous for both her and the boy (not to mention her young son). She doesn’t seem to care, because she’s having too much fun. Should I try to do something about this? I don’t know the kid or his parents, and I really don’t have a clue about trying to intervene, but it seems like I should do something.
_Appalled
Dear Appalled,
From the little I know, I don’t believe there is a “legal” obligation on your part to do something. I can certainly understand the moral imperative, however. Perhaps you could gather together some online stories and information about the frequently devastating results of older woman/teenage boy escapades, and send them to your friend. Maybe it will wake her up. If you decide to intervene by alerting authorities, there will be other kinds of consequences that you will be unable to control for your friend.
Closed case
Dear Dr. Lovemonkey,
And old high school friend of mine, a transsexual, is involved with a very nice guy who, I think, has no clue that Phyllis was once a man. I think he should be aware of this, but am unsure whether is my place to help him know the truth. What are your thoughts?
_A Believer in Truth
Dear A,
No, it’s not your place. You don’t know what this man knows, and as their relationship develops, all will be revealed. How, or if, any of that comes about, however, is none of your business.
Send questions and romantic quandaries to tillie27@verizon.net.
Topics:
Dr Love Monkey
, GLBT Issues
, Special Interest Groups
