MY KOLKATA EDUGRAPH
ADVERTISEMENT
Regular-article-logo Monday, 29 April 2024

Survival Strategies

Suhel Seth has an unconventional take on personal problems — and  their solutions

TT Bureau Published 04.12.16, 12:00 AM

I am an 18-year-old boy and have a crush for the last 12 years. But I couldn’t propose to her as I feared that she’d move away if I did. Now, I’ve come to know that she likes me as the best childhood friend she has,  nothing more. I tried to move on with another girl, but it was a disaster. What should I do now?

Name and address withheld

Keep her that way. She is Alice in your Wonderland. She obviously doesn’t feel for you romantically and in this harsh world someone like you could do with a friend. So don’t screw it up son. As for someone you wish to love, you are only 18 and an entire lifetime of misery and being dumped awaits you. So why despair when you are so young?
 

I’m in a relationship with a girl for four years now. We love each other greatly but her family is very orthodox and strictly against a love marriage. We don’t want to lose each other. What should we do? Running away is not an option.

Name and address withheld

Don’t bother running. With pollution being what it is, instead of love, you might die of asthma. I suggest you just elope, which means get into a car or a train or a plane and go far, far away. With an orthodox family, you have very limited options and they don’t seem to like you in any case. So what else can you do? Slitting your wrists is not an option. So just elope.
 

I have been married for 10 years now and have a six-year-old son. On a work trip to another town recently, I fell ill and had to be hospitalised for 20 days. But my wife, who is a teacher, didn’t bother to come and visit me. What should I make of that?

Name and address withheld

She doesn’t either care, or she trusts the hospital you were in, or her school is tough with holidays. But truth be told (and I know it will hurt) she just doesn’t care whether you live or die, which, by the way, is a good thing for you to know. So stop gifting her diamonds and such like and instead gift her an ATM card.
 

Now you can join the fan page Suhel Seth’s Survival Strategies Column on Facebook and also tweet your comments/ questions to him (@suhelseth) on Twitter 

If you have questions for Mr Seth, write to: graphiti@abpmail.com 

 

HELP AT HAND

Al-Anon
For families and friends of alcoholics
(www.india.al-anon.alateen.org)
Ph : 84207-38682 
Email: alanonkolkata@gmail.com
(2pm to 6pm, Mondays-Saturdays)

Alcoholics anonymous 
10A Nandan Road, Calcutta 700025
Ph: 2419-1174, 98310-63021
Email: aakolkata_ig03@rediffmail.com
(2pm to 6pm, Mondays-Saturdays)

HelpAge India
For social, legal and financial counselling for the elderly
Free helpline: 1-800-345-1253

KORNASH 
For lifestyle management counselling
139B Rash Behari Avenue,
Calcutta 700025
Ph: 98301-49919
(Noon to 8pm, by appointment only)

Narcotics anonymous 
Self-help group for recovering addicts
(www.nakolkata.org)
Kolkata area helpline: 98362-23071 
Email: info@nakolkata.org

Pronam
Senior citizen’s emergency co-ordination control room
38/1 Beltala Road, Calcutta 700019
Ph: 2419-0740

Sparsha
Free tele-counselling and one-on-one counselling on personal relationships 
and HIV/ AIDS 
AE-36 Rabindra Pally, P.O.: Prafulla Kanan, Calcutta 700101
Ph: 2591-0334 / 3852 / 6529 / 9856
(10am to 6pm, Mondays-Fridays)

Follow us on:
ADVERTISEMENT