DEAR ABBY: I am a teetotaler. As frequently happens when a group of friends share a meal together at a restaurant, when the bill arrives, one of the party will suggest, "Why don't we just split it?" The rest of the group usually quickly agrees, but left out of the equation is the fact that the lone teetotaler did not participate in the round -- or several rounds -- of cocktails before dinner and ends up subsidizing the drinkers. If I squawk about it, I look cheap. If I don't, I feel taken advantage of. Please advise. -- TICKED OFF TEETOTALER
DEAR T.O.T.: If you haven't squawked before, you should. The time to speak up would be when the get-together is being planned and you can talk to each of your friends privately. Suggest the booze bill and the food tab be separate, which would keep the math simple for everyone. Or, put enough in the till to cover your cost and the tip, and let them split the rest.