Dear Abby: My husband and I have been married for 16 years, and not once has he brought me a gift of flowers.
On special occasions when he thinks I should have a greeting card, he hands it to me in the paper sack from the store where he purchased it. When I ask him what it is, he says, "Open it and you'll find out." And when I do, I find a plain card without his signature or my name on it.I have told him repeatedly that if he can't take the trouble to put my name on the card and sign it, he shouldn't bother getting me one.
My birthday just passed, and that morning he told me that if I was going out, to buy myself a card. I told him I wouldn't do it, so when he came home, he handed me another unsigned card in a paper sack.
As I write this, I'm not on speaking terms with him. Can you blame me? He is so inconsiderate and thoughtless. Are there other husbands like him? I doubt it.
- Unhappy
Dear Unhappy: It will probably be small consolation for you to learn that I've heard from hundreds of women who would be thrilled if their husbands bought them a greeting card. Yes, even in a paper sack - unsigned.
Dear Readers: Read on for responses to "Unhappy's" letter:
Dear Abby: This is in regard to the unhappy wife whose husband always gives her unsigned greeting cards on special occasions.
He sounds like my husband. One year, he gave me a birthday card with a $10 check in it. On the card he wrote, "Put this away for us to use on our vacation."
Can anybody top this for cheapness?
- Wondering
Dear Wondering: Yes. Read on for three toppers:
Dear Abby: For Mother's Day, my bighearted husband gave me a check for $50 and asked me not to cash it until June 1. Well, I waited until June 5 to cash it, but it bounced anyway!
- Portland, Ore.
Dear Abby: A friend of mine told me that on her birthday her mother instructed her to go to the desk and get out the box of handy "all-birthday cards," read one, and then put it back in the box!
- Hysterical
Dear Abby: How's this for a "generous" anniversary present from a loved one? Just before our 10th anniversary, my husband asked to borrow $100 so he could buy me something very special. I gave it to him, but I never saw that "something special" - and I never saw my $100 again, either.
He's not my husband anymore.
- Good Riddance
Dear Abby: I am a widow who recently married a widower. He keeps talking about his first wife. What should I do?
- Had it
Dear Had It: Keep talking about your next husband.