Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1948)

What Should I Do? ( Continued from page 68) / doubt that it will be necessary for me to suggest that you drop this boy. I am afraid that when you tell him how dishonest you have been he’ll drop you. Frankly, I believe that you have no choice in this matter at all. First, you should secure work and you should deny yourself every luxury until you can return every penny of this man’s money. No matter how desperately you thought you needed his money, you should not have touched it. However, there is no point in preaching, as this is a sad fact of which you are now completely aware. Tell this boy the truth and tell him that you are going to renlace every penny. Claudette Colbert Dear Miss Colbert: I am twenty-two and have been married since I was eighteen. I have a daughter who is now three. Two years ago my husband went into business for himself as a contractor, at which time Edith, a rich widow about thirty, came into the picture. She began seeing my husband quite often, meetings he always described as “for business reasons only,” but I knew better. He ignored our little daughter and he would shout at me because of the slightest little thing. Finally Wilbur asked for a divorce, explaining that he wanted to marry Edith. Just before he left he kissed me for the last time and, oh, Miss Colbert, it was the sweetest kiss of all our married life. I knew then that he still loved me and that he felt only infatuation for Edith. The time has now come for final papers to be filed. In spite of the fact that Wilbur has never telephoned me, has never written me a letter, and has even forgotten the baby’s birthday, I am convinced he still loves us and that sooner or later he will come back. Do you think that a man, after a year’s separation, could come to his senses and realize where true love lies? Donna M. I’d like to be able to say that I thought Wilbur would come back to you, but that would not be the truth. Since he has never telephoned or written to you and has given you no indication that he even remembers your presence on earth, the only thing for you to do is follotv your attorney’s advice. At twenty-two you have most of your life ahead of you. Have courage in the love of your child, raising her in as happy a home as you can make. This should be your first consideration and from this should spring the happiness that you feel you have lost. Claudette Colbert Dear Miss Colbert: My fiance was recently discharged from the Marines. Before he entered the service he asked me to marry him but I felt that it would be better to wait. Now I think I was a goof, as my sister also likes him and has tried to steal his affections. I placed the problem before him and asked him which of us he loved. He told me he loved me, always had, and always would. While I was on a vacation I received several letters from him. He didn’t mention my sister in a one. I also received letters from a girl friend who mentioned casually that my sister was keeping my boy friend from being lonely and that she had seen them at the movies three nights in succession. Should I believe he loves me or that he is just trying to make a fool of me? Teresa J. You may be taking the friendship between your sister and your fiance too seriously. It may be that he is cordial to her simply because he is so fond of you. You should investigate your own attitude carefully to be sure your outlook is not being distorted by jealousy. You failed to mention whether you and your sister live with your parents. If so, I think you and your sister should tliscuss your emotions quite frankly with your mother. If your sister thinks that she, too, is in love with your fiance, your parents should talk to her and show her what a fool she is making of herself. Your boy friend may be terribly embarrassed by the whole thing and not know quite what to do about it. If, however, he is encouraging her attention, then you have no choice but to break up with him. But make very sure he is before you take any definite steps. Claudette Colbert ( The two letters printed below are answered together jor obvious reasons — CC) Dear Miss Colbert: I am twenty-two and am now serving a two-year , re-enlistment. Previously, I had three and one-half years of service. For three years I’ve been dating a girl who is now twenty. She has always been the one to do all the serious talking. I always kidded around a lot and pretended to agree when she told me what sort of a house she wanted to live in, what kind of furniture she wanted and even how many children she wanted to have. I presume that she loves me as she tells me so every time we get together, which is about once a month when I can get leave. Now it seems that she has talked herself into the idea that we are to get married as soon as I am discharged. I would prefer to wait to marry until I’m at least twenty-five. If I felt that I really loved this girl, things would be different, but to be truthful, I’ve imagined myself in love a hundred times. This thing has grown so serious that everyone in our home town thinks we will marry. I want to break off with her, but can’t find words. I guess I’m a heel in any case. If we should marry now I don’t think it could last — at least that’s the way I feel. Harry T. D. Dear Miss Colbert: I have been going steady with a boy for the past four years. He tells me that he loves me and for the past two years we are supposed to have been engaged, but he has never given me a ring and neither has he said anything about setting a date. My friends can’t understand — and neither can I — why I have no engagement ring and when I say something about setting a date, he changes the subject. Am I being given the run-around? Kitty M. When statisticians are investigating the mounting divorce rate, they might examine the possibility that many girls jump to conclusions, build dream castles out of cobwebs, and literally snare a man who escapes as soon as he can. In your case, Mr. D., I think you should tell your self-appointed fiancee exactly what you have told me. I don’t think that would be heel-ish. By all means break out of the situation before it has gone any farther. ,4s for you. Miss M., I think you are being given a Grade A run-around. If you are wise, you will look around for other men to date. In the future you shouldn’t consider yourself engaged ( and set your friends to chattering) until you have been given a ring. Claudette Colbert Dear Miss Colbert: My parents and Pat’s parents are the best of friends, but Pat and I don’t get along very well. Pat has had many parties but has never Blossoms in the dusk. It’s obvious Elizabeth Taylor’s lovely companion is her mother