DEAR ABBY: Years ago, when I was trying to get into a professional school, I took some classes to prepare for the entrance exam. It cost my dad money to put me through the training. A few of my classmates/friends asked me to share the training material with them. Because it was expensive and I was preparing for a competitive exam, which they were also taking, I refused.
Long story short, none of us passed the exam. We moved on and have all become successful in life, but that incident haunts me all these years (decades) later. I was living outside of the U.S. for a long time, so I didn't try to get in touch with them or discuss why I behaved the way I did. I am likely to meet them in the near future, and I don't know how to handle this if it comes up. What do you think I should do? -- REMEMBERING THE EARLY DAYS
DEAR REMEMBERING: It is entirely possible that these individuals will not remember the incident. If they raise the subject, apologize and explain to them the reasons you were reluctant to share the material. If they don't mention it, then let it lie.