6 years later, man-child still holds grudge
Dear Abby:
My daughter wants me to apologize to her boyfriend, “Harry,” for yelling at him six years ago when I helped them move. I had traveled 250 miles to assist. On the day of the move, Harry didn’t take the day off work, so he wasn’t there to help. They had a second-floor unit with no elevator, and when he finally arrived, he walked slowly while handling the recycling.
At the new place, he helped a bit, but when the food was delivered—10 hours into the move—he decided to sit and eat instead of continuing to help, while the other helpers and I kept moving boxes. That’s when I lost my temper and yelled at him. Up to that point, in his relationship with my daughter, he had only gone to work, come home, and played video games. He didn’t help around the house or show interest in assisting with their son.
Over the years, Harry has improved somewhat in helping with his son. But now my daughter feels caught in the middle and wants me to apologize for yelling. I haven’t spoken badly about him since, and I even liked some of his posts on Facebook.
I’ve moved on, but it seems Harry hasn’t. I’ve suggested to my daughter that he may need professional help. The last time I visited, he stayed in a hotel for the weekend. My son thinks that if an apology is going to happen, it should come from Harry first.
What do you think?
— Family Dilemma in Canada
About Post Author
