I'm a mature New York teenager who dates older men. My boyfriend, 25, had treated me really well. I recently visited him in the Bronx; everything was romantic until we got into an argument. I walked out expecting him to follow me. He phoned saying he'd left and wasn't coming after me.

I was scared being there alone, and begged him to get me. He said he'd explain only once, how I could get back to my home in the suburbs. I didn't even have enough money to buy a ticket.

He said he could tell by the way I walked out that I'd do it other times, too. He doesn't answer my daily calls. Was it my fault? Should I just let go?

Heartbroken

You may look older and attract older guys, but you're still a teenager who can get hurt easily, and end up scared in a situation for which you're not prepared.

You misjudged this guy's reactions. And he treated you as someone old enough to take care of yourself. If he'd really known your limited level of experience, he might've better understood your anxiety. He was wrong, but even a teenager should know not to go out without enough money to get back home safely.

Try getting to know some guys closer to your age; they're far less likely to make cold, hard assumptions about you. This "older man" was a jerk!

With three kids and only one income, my wife and I are somewhat tight for cash, so we're wondering about an appropriate gift for a cousin's wedding.

We're not close to her, but being family, our three young children (all under 10), have been invited too.

We'd prefer to give cash rather than a household item. Does the gift depend on where the reception is being held, as others have told us?

Not Cheap but Thrifty

Here's where practical reality has to outweigh social pressure. There are so-called standards touted, example for weddings at rented halls serving sit-down dinners, it's commonly thought that gifts should be around $100-$150 per adult (less to cover the kids).

Though I've sometimes suggested this myself, I add the caveat to NOT spend more than you can truly afford. Giving cash in hand may feel awkward when you're trying to be thrifty, so consider a gift certificate instead - an amount at a book or music store for those who value literature and/or music, or for a night's stay at a country retreat. Consider a $200 amount, or thereabouts.

If that's too high, ask if any other relatives will give a family gift to which you can contribute what's affordable.

I asked a girl at my school to go to lunch with me. Ever since, she smiled and waved at me in the hallways and went out with me three times. Does she like me or just being sympathetic?

Unsure

I get it that you're feeling insecure. So read this and believe: She LIKES you! Do NOT listen to anyone who says she's just being sympathetic, even if that voice comes from inside your head. No one forced her to go out with you three times.

Now relax, and talk with her as to a friend, about what you have in common, like to do, etc. That's how a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship develops with comfort. Know this, too: Constantly doubting how someone really feels about you often ends up pushing him or her away.

Dear Readers: Many people who write about an "angry" partner say the situation gets worse when he/she's been drinking. Here's insight from one man who's been that angry drinker:

"I lost my wife, my sons, my business, my self-esteem, because I was too difficult to live with any longer. My father was an alcoholic, as was his father, brother, and my brother.

After my wife left, I met a wonderful woman. The bitterness from my divorce followed me into that loving relationship and I eventually ruined it.

Your readers should know that Al-Anon teaches the alcoholic's partner the necessity of dropping their co-dependent skills, helping to rid themselves of the guilt, turbulence, and incredible stress they feel while involved with a constantly angry person.

Alcoholics Anonymous has helped me immensely. But

it took a skilled anger management professional to help me know what I can control and what I can't control in everyday life."