I am a 24-year-old woman. I have a colleague who is in his late 40s. He is very affectionate and supportive and I respect him a lot. My problem is that we often argue on petty issues and end up not talking to each other for days. How should we avoid the frequent arguments?
Name and address withheld
By not taking up petty issues. Instead my advice is discuss the following: a) When will the Himalayan glaciers actually melt? b) When will Moon Moon Sen retire and allow her girls to act in films rather than MMS clips c) When will the Left Front stop disintegrating and losing every silly election d) When will Jagmohan Dalmiya become the CAB President for life. These are the macro issues that need to be addressed. Not some trite ones you keep talking about…
I am 17 years old. I have a number of girlfriends and I have been intimate with almost all of them. One of my girlfriends is pregnant now and she has decided that she does not want to abort the child. I appeared for my board exams only last year. I don’t think that I am mature enough to be a father right now. What should I do?
Name and address withheld
How the hell do I know what you should do? All I know is that you must be living in Ranchi or some fine place like that where the Maoists have taken away all the condoms which is why you couldn’t find any. Look son, this kind of nonsense happens all the time. This girl is trying to trap you: do not bother with niceties. Just tell her you will have nothing to do with the child; tell her you will speak to her parents and watch the abortion will happen before you can say Mama Mia. And if that child does enter our glorious world, make sure you know some scions involved with schools: because they can be pretty nasty when it comes to helping with admissions.
HELP AT HAND
Alcoholics anonymous
10A, Nandan Road, Near Ganja Park, Calcutta - 25
Ph: 24191174
E-mail: aakolkata_ig03@
rediffmail.com
For free help on alcoholism
Timings: 2.00 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Mondays through Saturdays
Narcotics anonymous (Kolkata area helpline)
Self-help group of recovering addicts
Ph: 9836223071
Website: www.nakolkata.org
Email: info@nakolkata.org
Lifeline Foundation
Ph: 2463 7401/ 2463 7432
Free tele helpline for the depressed, distressed or suicidal.
Timings: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Monday through Saturdays
Society for positive atmosphere & related support to hiv/aids (sparsha)
AE-36, Rabindra Pally, PO: Prafulla Kana, Calcutta — 700 001
Ph: 2591 0334, 2591 3852/ 6529/9856
Free tele-counselling and one-on-one counselling on personal relationships and HIV/ AIDS
Timings: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Mondays through Fridays
Pronam
38/1, Beltala Road, Calcutta — 700 019. Senior Citizen’s
Emergency Co-ordination Control Room. Ph: 2419 0740
Teenline (cini-yuva)
Telecounseling and one-on-one counselling on sex and sexuality, emotional and career problems.
By appointment only
Ph: 2461 1463
Mondays through Saturdays
(10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
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