Some people think forcing their friends to spend more money isn’t that big of a deal. Maybe it isn’t a big deal to them, but to people who are on a tight budget, it is a really big deal! Would you be ...

When Christine was nine years old, her mother, Mary, said, “Come here. I want to tell you a secret.” They sat on a brown couch in their living room, in Santa Ana, California. Mary, who was forty-three ...

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Two years ago, a friend and I met for lunch and to celebrate our birthdays. She presented me with a card that featured a stylized drawing of a breed of dog whom we both are fond of.

Family trips can be wonderful, and horrible, and both. But you know what ALWAYS sucks? A trip being ruined before it even starts, like in this story. Then again, if you knew what you were getting into ...