Dear Abby: Online dater fibbed about her name and age

DEAR ABBY: I do online dating. For safety, I use an alias. I look much younger than my 43 years, so I went out with a 29-year-old who thinks I'm 33. I have horrible luck with relationships and didn't think this one would be any different. Boy, was I wrong! We have been dating three weeks now.

How do I tell him I'm 43, have two kids he doesn't know about and a different name? Or should I just break it off now?

DEAR INCOGNITO: Do not "just break it off" with no explanation. Tell the man what you told me — that you have had such poor experiences with online dating that you used an alias, that you "fudged" about your age and that you have children. If it's a turnoff for him, you need to know it before you become more emotionally involved.

DEAR ABBY: If you're walking down a hallway with a full plate of hot food and someone who is texting comes around the corner and bumps into you, sending your food to the floor, who should clean up the mess? And should the texter be obliged to reimburse the victim whose lunch was lost?

DEAR SPILL SURVIVOR: People who perambulate are supposed to watch where they are going. That the texter didn't offer to reimburse you for the meal or at least help clean up the mess shows a distinct lack of class. Although the texter should have felt obligated to help, there is no way to "compel" someone to do the right thing. n