Dear Abby: I can’t escape my neighbor’s bullying and I don’t know what to do

DEAR ABBY: My hubby and I locomotion astir a section reservoir 3 times a week. We met different mates location who seemed pleasant until nan hubby tried to springiness maine his doctor’s sanction truthful I could “Get that ‘thing’ removed.” (“That thing” being nan beauty people adjacent to my smile.) I told him I wasn’t interested.

The adjacent clip we met, he brought it up again. The 3rd clip he raised nan subject, he told maine astir group would get huffy astatine him for his advice, but “You’re tough, you tin return it.” The past 3 times we’ve tally into them, he has questioned my assemblage language. “What’s going connected pinch your hands?” “Why are you doing that pinch your fingers?” “Look astatine you! You look for illustration you’re fresh to strangle me.” Or he’ll remark connected my clothing: “What are those, socks?”

Abby, I americium not thin-skinned, but I’ve had enough. This feline smiles and laughs, amusing himself while making maine uncomfortable. I’ve begun to locomotion past nan mates while smiling and wishing them a pleasant day.

Yesterday, nan man called out, “Stop!” I continued, but my hubby paused to talk. I find nan man to beryllium obnoxious, but he intelligibly thinks I’m nan 1 pinch bad behavior. I spot this escalating into a existent problem, and I’d for illustration to debar trouble. The only measurement to softly lick this is to find location other to locomotion successful nan morning. My hubby disagrees.

Abby, what is nan champion measurement to grip this? I nary longer look guardant to our greeting walks. Just because I’m “tough and tin return it” doesn’t mean I should beryllium subjected to his teasing. I’m becoming nan bad feline successful this scenario, and I don’t for illustration it. Please advise. — AVOIDING IN CALIFORNIA

DEAR AVOIDING: You are not nan bad guy. Frankly, nan man seems a small off. You are not required to interact pinch anyone who makes you uncomfortable. If your hubby wants to chat pinch him, he should do it erstwhile you are not present. If he isn’t delicate capable to admit that, you should support stepping aliases find different route.

DEAR ABBY: My hubby and I are successful our 70s. We are successful reasonably bully shape. That said, I person hep replacements, and my knees and hips person go sore from nan stairs I must climb each day. We person a beautiful ample home, but I cognize it’s clip to move to elder surviving for illustration my galore friends who are making nan modulation now.

My hubby ignores my entreaties. “I will time off this location only feet first,” he retorts each clip I opportunity nan stairs are excessively overmuch for me. Abby, I bring my apparel downstairs successful a container each time to debar different climb. I americium making each accommodation I tin and americium now considering divorcement arsenic an option.

The bottommost statement is, my hubby is simply a selfish aged man. Every societal group he belongs to and nan beautiful location he refuses to time off person each been my doing. I person besides been an adjacent breadwinner. Forget counseling. He has a counseling degree. Have immoderate advice? — END OF MY ROPE IN MICHIGAN

DEAR END: I judge do, and it’s going to costs your selfish hubby a bundle. Start pricing step chair lifts aliases mini elevators for your beautiful ample home. If your hubby is reluctant, constituent retired that it will beryllium cheaper than a divorce.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, besides known arsenic Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby astatine www.DearAbby.com aliases P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.