DEAR ABBY: I have the sweetest boyfriend I'll call "Earl." He's 58. I'm a widow and have been with him for two years. Earl loves me, helps me and goes out with me wherever I want to go. One problem: He flirts with other women.
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It can be family, neighbors, clerks, waitresses, etc. He calls them "sweetheart," "baby," "darling," etc. He pours on the charm and even follows them around to help them with whatever they are doing. I am not threatened, but I get really embarrassed. I have also noticed that Earl has no male friends and seems to avoid them.
When we are alone, it's all about me. He treats me wonderfully, but get another woman around and he goes nuts. What's going on with this man? -- PUT OFF IN PHOENIX
DEAR PUT OFF: Earl may be less confident in the company of other men, or he may consider them competition for the attention of women. Or, he may need to constantly ingratiate and prove his attractiveness to himself.
I'm not going to attempt to psychoanalyze a man I have never met. Heck, it's hard enough to do when I know the person. If you really want to know what's going on with Earl, ask him to explain it to you.