Know It All
Dear Frankie,
My mom has a friend who is, in my estimation, a “Know It All.” Every other sentence out of his mouth is, “You should have done this. You shouldn’t have done that.”
The other day he started on my mom about my weight. He said if she cared about me, she would measure the amount of food she was feeding me.
She tried to defend herself by saying that I was getting older and had some arthritis that made it hard for me to walk previous distances. He said that was no excuse and even more reason for me to go on a diet.
After he left, I asked my mom why she didn’t let him have it for the rude way he spoke to her. She said she realized I had put on a few pounds and felt guilty when he mentioned it.
I did concede that he might have had a point, but don’t you think he could have said it in a nicer way?
Harry
P.S. I agreed that a slight reduction in calories and five minutes more on each of my walks might be in order.
Dear Harry,
Besides being a “Know It All,” he sounds like he is a bit of a jerk. He’s lucky that your mom keeps him as a friend.
Despite his bad manners, you’ve got to give the guy his due. If he beat around the bush and had taken a softer approach, he might not have motivated you and your mom to start working on your diet.
Why not think of him as a blessing in disguise, as someone who did you both a favor? Then, when you get back to your old fighting weight, it will be a win-win for everyone. Your mom won’t be guilty, you’ll be svelte, and he’ll be able to say, “I told you so.”
Best, Frankie
© 2022 Geneva Woodruff
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