Dear Eric: I’m not sure what to do about my deceased father’s best friend. He looked out the window with a weird mean look and said “oh look, birds.”It goes on and on. — Friend of My FatherFriend: I’m a little unclear whether you feel you’ve “inherited” your father’s best friend or if you cultivated the relationship with an expectation that Hank hasn’t met. If, for instance, you feel a sense of obligation to provide Hank company, you might find that that’s not quite what Hank is looking for. Dear Eric: The letter writer “Family Conundrum” wanted to include her recently widowed sister in holiday events, but the sister was nervous about navigating airports.

Source: Washington Post January 17, 2026 08:32 UTC