Dear Abby: He’s a smart young man, but I worry that his quirk will cost him a job

DEAR ABBY My son-in-law Samuel whom I adore is a great partner to my daughter and an amazing father to my grandson Unfortunately he talks excessively moving from topic to topic even when people walk away or try to deflect to a different subject Related Articles Dear Abby I was alone in my sister s house and didn t realize I was on camera Dear Abby A secret from my former marriage is hanging over me Dear Abby Mr Cheapo is getting married and his wedding plan is ludicrous Dear Abby Should I tell my in-laws why I don t want to visit Dear Abby We re a godly couple and we find the neighbors decor off-putting He believes he s an expert in multiple subjects and he expounds about experiences I m fairly confident never happened Samuel comes from a history of abuse but has been supported and loved by our family for years I know he loves and trusts me and I m conflicted about whether or how I should tell him how his excessive talking may deter his future goals He is highly intelligent but if I were an employer I would pass him by Knowing what a good hardworking young man he is this saddens me Should I have a private conversation with him about it This may seem trivial but it weighs on my heart Please give me an outsider s opinion WISE MOM-IN-LAW DEAR WISE M I L My intuition tells me that would be a mistake Discussing your concerns with your daughter so she can talk to Samuel about them might be a more diplomatic way to get the message across DEAR ABBY I of late spent weeks caring for my mom in hospice I was holding her hand when she took her last breath I had stated to family and friends her choice to enter hospice They knew her death was imminent Being the last surviving child it was up to me to arrange her funeral Everyone including my friends petitioned me to keep them informed as to the facility date and time As soon as I posted the funeral information the excuses started rolling in People I had considered close friends and family who supposedly loved my mother came up with a dozen different reasons not to attend her funeral I took stock after Mom s arrangement and realized I had attended all the bridal showers weddings baby showers funerals and graduations donated to the school fundraisers bought their Girl Scout cookies and listened to their litany of woes over the years At the majority of horrible time in my life they chose to leave me alone Then it struck me I really have no friends or meaningful family I feel abandoned and angry and I d love to tell those people how I feel What are your thoughts DEVASTATED IN DENVER Related Articles Asking Eric I had to quit yoga class because the trainer kept mocking me Dear Abby I was alone in my sister s house and didn t realize I was on camera Asking Eric I think my friends focus on their grandchild is not healthy Harriette Cole Since the shooting I get panicked about going to work Miss Manners Should I rat out his sister for not using the gift certificates DEAR DEVASTATED Please accept my deepest sympathy for the loss of your dear mother Your feelings are justified but understand that your emotions are raw right now Because you want to tell these people how you feel do it but not in anger even if that s what you may be feeling right now Speak with each of those folks individually and be honest about how hurt and alone their absence made you feel at a time when you needed them the majority They need to hear it and you need to get it off your chest Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren also known as Jeanne Phillips and was founded by her mother Pauline Phillips Contact Dear Abby at www DearAbby com or P O Box Los Angeles CA