DEAR ABBY: When I come home and my girlfriend is there, I greet her with a cheerful "hello" or "good morning." Her usual response is somewhere between a grunt and a sniff.
If I am home first and she walks in, she will immediately launch into a conversation without giving me a greeting. I have tried explaining to her that her behavior makes me feel like she isn't happy to see me. But when I tell her it hurts my feelings, she accuses me of trying to "control her."
She always gives her co-workers and friends a nice, friendly greeting when she sees them. Am I being too sensitive? I feel I deserve a similar acknowledgment if I take the time to be cordial. -- SHORTCHANGED IN GEORGIA
DEAR SHORTCHANGED: You're not being overly sensitive, and asking to be treated with warmth and courtesy isn't being controlling. Your girlfriend appears to take you and your affection for granted.
If there are other problems in your relationship, perhaps it's time to step back, take a cool and rational look at how you are being treated in other areas, and decide whether it is in your best interest to continue it.