Last week I was planning on making a purchase that called for cash only. It was several hundred dollars for one item and several hundred for the other. When I went to do the transaction, only one item was still available. I left with the one item and an envelope full of money. I came home, set up the item I had purchased and then put the envelope in what I thought was a safe place.

It’s now missing.

I live with three other people, two of whom are close friends, the other is not. I would never have thought any of them would steal from me, but I can’t come up with another answer as to where my money went. I’ve searched and searched but my room isn’t that big.

I don’t want to accuse anyone, but I’m not sure what to do. Do you have any suggestions?

Lost money

Yes, confide in your closest of the three roommates. But not in a conspiratorial way, just by asking that person to help you look for the envelope. Another set of eyes is always helpful. Between the two of you, tear your room apart.

Now she knows how much it means to you (obviously, but it’s now in her face), and if she did take it, she may now have second thoughts and replace it. If you two don’t find it, you could ask the other roommates if they’ve seen it, in a very casual matter-of-fact way.

Now everyone knows it’s missing. Hopefully it’ll turn up. But if it doesn’t, there’s really nothing you can do without an inkling of who may have taken it. You will destroy all semblance of your relationship with these people if you falsely accuse them of stealing.

Why do people think COVID-19 is a thing of the past? It wasn’t just a passing phase. My family and I are still masking indoors and avoiding indoor dining. COVID is still around and the risk of long COVID increases with each infection.

COVID infections increase the risk of new onset diabetes, heart attack and stroke, even years after the initial infection. People keep asking me when I am going to stop wearing a mask to which I ask, when are you going to stop wearing your seatbelt? You wear your seatbelt every time you get in the car because the risk of a car accident is always there. And despite the majority of society pretending that COVID is over, it is still here.

Long COVID has no treatment or cure. I have lost a family member to COVID. For all these reasons, we continue to mask. I feel that the health risks are more harmful than any negative social aspects of masking. There is enormous pressure to give in and join the majority of unmasked people, which shows how important it is to those who continue to mask.

Why can’t people respect and support other people’s choices, if it doesn’t affect them in any way?

Still Masking

You are spot on with your last question. People should absolutely respect and support other people’s choices, especially if it has no negative effect on anyone, no harm is being done, nothing dangerous is involved.

Masking is a personal choice. I see people in masks all the time, and I’m sure if I asked, they would have a myriad of answers. One woman I saw was pregnant; she doesn’t want to catch anything. Another woman I saw was attached to an oxygen tank. I think that speaks for itself.

Do what makes you feel comfortable. Years ago, my first flight after lockdown, I was the ONLY person who kept my mask on throughout the flight. I still caught COVID.

FEEDBACK Regarding the wife done dating (Dec. 18):
Reader #1 – “I suspect the answer lies in the unequal distribution of childcare. Both spouses work but she has all the additional childcare tasks.

“The husband might find his wife more amenable to a date night if he said something like ‘let me take over the shopping and lunch prep this week, so you get some extra time.’

“When our four children were young, my husband used to slip in a load of kids’ laundry before he went to work, come home and take off the suit jacket before heading to the kitchen to start dinner. I joked that he had redefined foreplay. Just a thought.”

Reader #2 – “There’s a great expression for this, Lisi: When you can’t complain about the bad your husband does, start complaining about the good.”

Lisi – Sounds about right. Many women would LOVE to be in her position!