Colby Free Press Monday, April 12, 2004 Page 7 For Better or Worse • Lynn Johnston Father-in-law stifles young couple DEAR ABBY: I am 24 years old and have been married for seven Abigail years. We have one child. My father-in-law has lived with us for the past three years. I am tired Van Buren of this situation. I cannot have any- one over later than 10 p.m. or he goes • Dear Abby crazy. Lights and TV have to be off by then, too. He lies on the couch all under my abuser’s control to do any- 27-year age gap. day. He doesn’t clean up after him- thing about my situation. Michael Douglas (59) with Fam- self. On top of that, he walks into our I endured her beatings until I was ke Janssen (38), Frances McDor- For Better or Worse • Lynn Johnston bedroom without knocking, so you 21. They stopped only because I mand (46) or Gwyneth Paltrow (31) can imagine what our sex life is like. moved to another state to attend — a 13- to 28-year age gap. He is not over the hill or ailing. He graduate school. Steve Martin (58) with Bonnie is 57, and his only health problem is I no longer have a relationship Hunt (39), Jean Smart (44) or Hel- diabetes. We can’t go anywhere with my mother. I have often blamed ena Bonham Carter (37) — a 14- to without him; he even tags along with myself for not speaking up about my 21-year age gap. us when we visit his ex and her hus- own abuse. I remember hoping that All of these relationships are pre- band. someone like “Sad and Disgusted” sented as perfectly normal. Also, How do I tell him that we need would simply ask, “Are you OK?” consider the fuss that was made time to ourselves without hurting his That small act might have given me about Jack Nicholson and Diane feelings? the courage I couldn’t muster on my Keaton in “Something’s Gotta — HAD IT IN TEXAS own. Give.” How NICE it was to see con- DEAR HAD IT: You should be — FREE AT LAST, CHICAGO temporaries as a love interest! In nominated for sainthood for tol- DEAR FREE: I am pleased you reality, Diane is nine years younger erating the situation this long. finally escaped your abuser. I than Jack. It’s no wonder these men Garfield • Jim Davis Stop worrying about his feelings; hope you no longer blame yourself think that young girls will be inter- he is certainly not worrying about for not telling anyone what was ested because, hey, if it can happen yours. Set new house rules. Kindly going on. The reason many vic- in the movies, it can happen in real but firmly take care of your own tims do not speak up about their life, right? needs and don’t apologize for it. mistreatment is they have been — REALITY CHECKER, Install a lock on your bedroom brainwashed into believing they GURNEE, ILL. door. You and your husband are somehow brought it on them- DEAR REALITY CHECKER: entitled to your privacy and your selves. One phrase that echoes Not only can it happen in real life own life. If he doesn’t like it, give repeatedly in the mail I get from — it has: Humphrey Bogart mar- him a deadline to be out, and then victims of abuse is, “He/she said I ried Lauren Bacall, Michael Dou- enforce it. MADE him/her slap me, hit me, glas married Catherine Zeta- choke me, etc.” Of course, noth- Jones, Warren Beatty married DEAR ABBY: I applaud “Sad ing could be further from the Annette Bening, Kevin Costner and Disgusted in Virginia” for being truth. Adults are responsible for just married Christine Baum- Hagar the Horrible • Chris Browne proactive about protecting children their own behavior. We have free gartner, Harrison Ford is dating from verbal and physical abuse. I will. What we do or refrain from Calista Flockhart. And the re- was slapped often by my mother in doing is our personal choice. verse can be true: Let’s not forget grocery stores and parking lots. Demi Moore and Ashton Kut- Plenty of people witnessed her ti- DEAR ABBY: “Grossed Out in cher! rades; no one would intervene. What Florida” asked where older men Editor’s note: Dear Abby is writ- they couldn’t see was what went on “get the idea” they can date much ten by Abigail Van Buren, also at home behind closed doors. She hit younger women. For the answer to known as Jeanne Phillips, and was me with her high-heeled shoes, pots that question one need only look at founded by her mother, Pauline and pans, even a violin, which shat- the nearest movie theater marquee: Phillips. tered when it struck my head. No Harrison Ford (61) with Michelle Write Dear Abby at www.Dear- one ever questioned me about my Pfeiffer (45), Kristin Scott Thomas Abby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los bruises. I was too weak, scared and (43) or Anne Heche (34) — a 16- to Angeles, Calif. 90069. Bridge Family Circus • Bil Keane Blondie • Chic Young

Beetle Bailey • Mort Walker

Crossword Zits • Jim Borgman & Jerry Scott Famous Hand A hand once played by Italian star Pietro Forquet illustrates the theme that in bridge you never give up. He reached four spades as shown (playing the highly artificial Blue Team Club System), and West led the K-A and another heart. Forquet won with the queen and, expecting no trouble whatsoever, cashed the ace of trumps. When West showed out, the entire picture changed. What had seemed like an easy contract a mo- Sally Forth • Greg Howard ment before now appeared impossible to make. But Forquet thought the matter over and con- cluded he could still make four spades if West had three diamonds in addition to the five spades and three hearts he had already shown up with. Accordingly, Forquet led a club to the ace and continued with the A-K-Q of diamonds, ruffing the queen after East showed out. He then cashed the king of clubs, producing this position: North [S] K 8 4 [D] J Cryptoquip West THANK YOU FOR [S] J 10 9 7 East READING THE Immaterial South [S] Q 6 [C] 9 7 Forquet led a club, and West, who seemed to have two sure trump tricks, suddenly found he had only one. West could not afford to ruff with the seven, which declarer would overruff with the eight, so he ruffed with the nine. Forquet found the correct counter to this YOUR LOCAL SOURCE FOR: when he discarded the jack of diamonds from NEWS ¥ WEATHER dummy. It now did not matter whether West SPORTS returned the jack, ten or seven — whichever card West chose, Forquet had the rest of the 155 W. 5th ¥ 785-462-3963 tricks.