I am in awe of some of these posts.  Some of our parents really believed in "tough love" didn't they?   I have a friend whose mother would put an unfinished dinner plate in the fridge and force her to eat it cold in the morning for breakfast, then lunch etc. until all the food was gone and the plate was scraped.  My father-in-law refused to let my husband enter the Naval Academy (even though he'd been accepted, had the prerequisite congressional recommendations etc) because "He was an enlisted man, and if it were good enough for him it was good enough for his son".  I confess I could never quite warm up to the man after I heard that (that and some of his other "spare the rod" type punishments") even though the man is a perfectly sweet grandfather to my children.

 

But on a lighter note...here's my story on why you should stay away from married men.( a disclaimer here:  I was about 20 years old and an idiot.)  When I was in the Navy, I went to Naval Justice School to be a court reporter.  One of my instructors was a genius teacher.  Smart, funny as hell, and just all-around-cool, ya know?  Before you think I was blinded by some "top-gun" type, I stood about a head taller (and I'm 5'7"), he had bad teeth, and thick glasses.  Well, about the second week of school, he seemed to take a fatherly interest in me, giving me all kinds of personal advice, helping me with school etc.  I was crazy about him.  (of course, he was married!, had a couple of young children) But nothing had happened so I didn't feel too guilty.  When school ended, I had a month's leave before heading off to Naples, Italy.  He suggested that I come back to school, pick up my paychecks, and have dinner with him (home was only a couple of hours away).  So, I did, (not innocently, I knew by then what he had planned)  Well, I got there, there were flowers waiting in my hotel room, he picked me up, and we went to this beautiful seafood restaurant for dinner & drinks.  He ordered some kind of seafood casserole but asked the waitress if it had scallops in it because he was high allergic to scallops.  (You can see this coming, right?)  We finished dinner (and I repeat myself here --- it was a very classy place -- black tie, etc.)  I'm in a very expensive black dress and high heels (which made me really tower over him) that I blew a whole paycheck on.  We're finishing the wine, he's holding my hand and rubbing my knee...and all of a sudden, he starts to turn red... and says his tongue itches.  He stands up and VOMITS all over me.  (I swear on my children this is true)  Then pitches face first on the floor, choking.  The whole place is in an uproar.  The ambulance comes...they need his name, doctor's name etc.  I think that the ambulance crew had a pretty good idea what was going on, when I refused to go to the hospital with them.  (He was okay, by the way)  So, there I am, all dressed up, with vomit dripping off me, my car is back at the hotel, in this beautiful place (with the bill still unpaid -- and more than I'd make in a month)  The waitress took pity on me, helped clean me up, called me a cab, accepted a check (against policy).  I went back to the hotel, called the hospital to see if he was okay, took a shower, (the dress was a total loss, I heaved it in garbage) packed my stuff and went home!!!!

 

It took me years to tell my mother what happened...she laughed.  I honestly think God was trying to tell me something.  He tried and tried to call me, but I just couldn't talk to him...the whole thing was so sordid (and funny, really).  So, that's why I never, ever messed with married men!!!  Live and Learn!