DR. WALLACE: My boyfriend and I have been dating for over two months. He is a sweet guy, but he does have one habit that really bothers me a lot. In fact, it gets under my skin and makes steam come out of my ears!
He does this when I’m around and I’m also told he does this even more when I’m not around. What does he do? Well, he thinks that he is a “party” boy and so he makes it a point to go right up to every girl he meets and gives them a kiss on the cheek, the hand, the forehead or even one kiss on each cheek like he’s living in Europe!
When I question him about his flirting behavior, he says that because he was an extra in a movie one time three years ago he learned all of this in Hollywood. He says that kissing on the set is “Hollywood” and it doesn’t mean anything except to show affection to his fellow human beings. I asked him then why all his kisses to fellow human beings go only to girls he sees and never to males. His reply was that the males don’t need affection as much.
I don’t like the fact that he thinks a kiss on the hand or cheek doesn’t mean anything at all. Seeing him kissing every single girl in every room we enter means a lot to me — and I don’t mean in a good way. — Tired of His Act, via email
TIRED OF HIS ACT: Your boyfriend’s self-esteem is probably low, and flirting may give him a macho feeling that helps him to build it back up. But there is certainly a point of taking things too far, and it sounds as if he passed that mile marker long ago.
He likely feels this behavior makes him more desirable to other girls. Yet he is supposedly in a relationship with you. You could gently remind “Kissy face” that he is a long way from Hollywood and if he doesn’t change his ways immediately, the curtain will soon drop on this melodrama, and once it does, “The party’s over.”
TO BE DRUG FREE, NEVER START USING
DR. WALLACE: I’m attending an upscale prep school on the East Coast. All of the students are highly intelligent, and our curriculum is geared to allow us to gain admission to any college or university we wish to study at in the United States.
The thing that concerns me so much is the number of drugs that are used by these so-called brilliant students and future leaders and influencers. I thought that intelligent people were bright enough to know not to use drugs. I guess I’m wrong at least with those I’ve seen firsthand doing things I thought only street addicts did. — Stunned by What I’ve Seen, via email
STUNNED BY WHAT I’VE SEEN: The use of illegal drugs sadly occurs in every segment of our society, including our colleges and universities.
Once an individual is addicted to a drug, that user usually will do almost anything to keep “enjoying” this “hobby” until it becomes a habit. This is very sad but often true.
The key to being drug-free is to never start using. This is also true for those addicted to alcohol. Fortunately, our society takes recovery quite seriously, so don’t be afraid to suggest treatment to those you feel close enough to speak with about this. But always remember that it’s up to an individual to actually want to change their ways before any realistic chance at recovery may be accomplished.
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected] To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
