DEAR ABBY: I am a man who, for 46 years, has been celebrating my birthday on Aug. 31. I recently took a trip to Northern California to visit my older sister. While we were talking about our birthdays and our late parents, my sister dropped a bombshell. She informed me that my birthday was NOT Aug. 31, but actually Sept. 1 -- like hers.
As you can imagine, I was shocked. Why would my own mother lie to me about something as important as my own date of birth? Mom even went so far as to have the doctor change the date on my birth certificate! My two older brothers confirmed it.
I am devastated at the dishonesty. Why would a mother do such a thing? Celebrating my birthday will never be the same again. -- SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS IN SYRACUSE
DEAR SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS: If I had to guess, I'd say your mother was trying to do you a favor. She didn't want you and your sister to have to share a birthday; she wanted each of you to have your own special day.
What I find disconcerting is that the doctor would go along with it because a birth certificate is a legal document, and to change it is not only a breach of ethics, but also against the law.