DEAR ABBY: I am a 51-year-old married woman. I have a friend who is 68 and divorced. We have a great time together joking and laughing. However, lately I have noticed changes in her behavior that are alarming enough that I'm reconsidering our relationship.
An example: Today we went to a flea market and I watched her pick up and try on a ring. Then she pretended to return it, palmed the ring and slipped it into her pocket. I was shocked. I thought I was seeing things, but it happened a second time -- this time with a heart pendant. Next she stole a bottle of hand lotion, which were three for $1.
I know she has money, but she's also cheap. I am appalled by her behavior and don't know what to do. Do I tell her I caught her, or let it go and not shop with her again? I don't want to be associated with a thief. Help! -- NOT THE SAME IN THE EAST
DEAR NOT THE SAME: I, too, am concerned about what you saw, and no longer shopping with this friend is a good idea. Does she have children you can contact? Because these are "alarming changes" in the woman's personality, she may need a physical and neurological examination to make sure she's not seriously ill.