Evening star., 1942-01-12
Advice Given
On Unusual
Situation
Don't Give Up Girl
For Undeservins
Selfish Friend
BY Kay CaiI,OeN and
Alden Harrison

Alden Harrison
Mike and Ray are two 17-year-
old boys who are 'closer than
brothers." to Use Mikes own phrase.
Some time ago Ray got crush on
a girl whom they both knew well
but who didn't seem to like Ray.
Mike did everything he could to
help his frienl in this situation.
He tried to sell" Ray to the girl
without success. Then he tried to
get Ray to for;et her with equally
unsatisfactory results. Ray Joined
the Navy and wrote the girl letter
knowledged.
Then Mike tegan to realize that
he liked this yirl very much him.
self and that she felt the same way
about him. Immediately his con-
science bega1 to hurt him-he
thought he was double crossing his
pal. So he picked fights with the
girl, trying to make her angry with
him. But he realized more and
more that she and he Just seemed
to belong together"
Mike told Rsy what was happen
ing, and Ray asked Mike not to
"take the girl away from him." al
though he had never succeeded in
arousing her interest himself. CAlso
girls on his string) Nevertheless,
Mike was so toggedly loyal to Ray
that he gave the girl q brush-oh
and hurt her feelings badly.
Whereupon he sat down and wrote
to us, asking + he should give the
girl up perms nently for the sake
of his friendship with Ray. or If
we thought lse might be able to
keep both.
Frankly. we don't know the an
swer to the latter question. It all
depends on how good q sport Ray
IS. But we certainly don't think
that Mike should give the girl up
for the sake O. his pal.
Mike is at the age when he is
Just moving o,t of the gang" phase
Of boys Life, when masculine
friends mean everything to him.
The girl interest is new, and con-
f1ict between masculine friendship
and romance Is quite common to
fellows at this period.
We hope Mike can keep Rays
friendship, because it means q lot
to him and because his romance
with this girl may be only q tenn
porary thing, as are most teen-age
love affairs. Nevertheless, we are
definitely against his continuing to
be a self-sa :riflcing, big-hearted
Eddy for a pal who doesn't deserve
such treatment.
Any worthwhile friendship must
work both wavs. All the Ynselhsh-
ness and consideration can't be on
one side. Ray has seven or eight
girls on his sting, and this girl has
refused to give him even the ghost
of a tumble. Yet he has the colos-
sal nerve ano the blind selfishness
to try to keep Mike from going with
her! BY taking that position we
think he has shown himself un-
worthy Of Miles, friendship.
AS often happens in matters such
as this, the oerson who has been
taking the real beating Is the girl,
wholly innocent party. She Ger
tainly can't be blamed for not nk-
ing Ray, ano she doesn't deserve
to suffer for her attitude toward
him by having Mike treat her
shabbily.
We think hike should start I'M
mediately to make amends to the
| girl for the way he has treated her
in the past. And ne should explain
to Ray exactly what he Is doing,
pointing out hat since Ray has no
chance with the girl, anyway, he
has no cause for complaint. Then
it will be up to Ray to prove that
he's real friend by saying heartily
and sincerely: "Okay. chum. Go
to i'll"
If that happens the girl may later
accept Ray IS Mixes friend, even
II she has NJ romantic interest In
him. Then everybody should be
happy all around. But II Ray Is
resentful and Mike loses his friend
ship 1t will te too bad. However,
We don't think Mike win have lost
much.