DEAR HARRIETTE: Every year on my birthday and every holiday, I get a call or email from a friend of mine. This year -- crickets. I’m worried about him. He is an older guy who recently retired, and he is single. He has always been a loner, so I don’t know whom to contact to check on him. I pray nothing has happened to him, but if I do hear from him again, I need him to give me a couple of emergency contact numbers. We have to look out for each other, right? -- Looking Out, Rochester, New York
DEAR LOOKING OUT: Let’s hope your friend is fine and just got distracted. Yes, it is a smart idea to ask him to share a few of his close friends’ contact information for emergency purposes. Promise not to bug any of his friends, but point out that you were honestly worried about him since he broke his pattern.
Be prepared not to get the desired result, though. A confirmed older bachelor is not someone who is accustomed to being traced, so to speak. He may balk at your idea. If he refuses, you will have to accept that you cannot help him to stay safe.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)